


Future Insight

by MarinetteAgresteBrand



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Identity Reveal, Cat Puns, Cheesy Enough For Plagg (Miraculous Ladybug), Digital Art, F/M, Falling In Love, Happy Ending, Identity Reveal, Light Angst, Love, Love Confessions, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Identity Reveal, Married Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Minor Luka Couffaine/Kagami Tsurugi, Minor Original Character(s), Miraculous Ladybug Love Square, Oblivious Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Original Akuma, The LadyNoir couple refers to their children as "kittens", Time Travel, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:47:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 70,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22646656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarinetteAgresteBrand/pseuds/MarinetteAgresteBrand
Summary: After having time-travelled more than a decade into the future, Adrien’s been tasked to babysit an older Ladybug’s “kittens.”Meanwhile, in the present, Marinette's got an akuma to defeat all while trying to process the fact that her future husband is Chat Noir!What's to happen to the star-crossed lovesquare after they learn that they're each other's endgame?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 421
Kudos: 816





	1. Do me a favor, but don't tell Mini Me

“Chat Noir, look out!” 

“Cata—"

✧✧✧

“-clysm—?"

_“Miraculous Ladybug!”_

Chat Noir opened his eyes as the bright light faded and miraculous ladybugs finished up the repair process. He had to wonder if he had he missed something. There’s no way they’d defeated the akuma yet! Ladybug had just called her lucky charm!

“Adrien!” A voice began—it sounded familiar, so much like his Lady’s, but… filled with affection? “I’ve got to head back, there’s an emergency of the worst kind, so if you could pick up the kittens, I’d very much appreciate it— eh— ah— Adrien!?”

He swiftly turned around to meet the gaze of those bluebell eyes he’d know anywhere.

“M-My Lady?” His lips quivered in shock.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. “Adrien?”

They’d gasped in surprise simultaneously as they slowly approached one another.

He actually had to look up instead of down. “When did you get taller?” And honestly, he had to wonder when she’d gotten… sexier?

Ladybug’s lips pursed into a thin line. “Oh goodness, where is Bunnyx when you need her?” She muttered before resting her hands on his shoulders. “Oh Kitty, I’m not your—” She bit her glossy bottom lip. “You’re in the future.” She held her breath for a moment. “How old are you right now?” She questioned as she led him into an alleyway.

Some panic filled Chat Noir’s eyes as he began to fidget around. “I’m, uh, fifteen.”

Ladybug immediately smacked her palm to her forehead. “Great. Um… ugh, I can’t remember, do you know who I am beneath the mask? Did we reveal ourselves to each other yet?”

“I— You’re—” Chat paused, not knowing what to say. If he lied and said he did, would she reveal herself to him? He shook his head, feeling guilty for even thinking it.

“I’m here, Ladybug!” Bunnyx popped out of her burrow. “Kitty Noir, don’t say a word, especially if you plan on trying to trick your lady into revealing her secret identity.” She wagged her finger. “Remember, there’s a time and a place for everything!”

“Just like your puns!” Ladybug gave him a disappointed pout as his transformation ran out. “Oh, and to think I was setting myself up for one earlier too!”

“S-Sorry, My Lady—Bug.” Adrien stuttered as he handed Plagg a piece of Camembert.

“Oh Adrien,” she pinched his cheek, “I’d forgotten how cute you were when we were teens!” She then turned to Bunnyx. “Although as cute as he is, can you take him back and bring back _My Adrien_?”

Adrien felt his heart thump at the thought of being hers.

“Sorry, no can do, Ladybug. You don’t know it yet, or well, it’ll become a memory, but Mini Bug needs your Chat Noir to use his Cataclysm too many times to count against that akuma. Don’t worry though, everything will go back to normal and fix itself after Mini Bug uses her miraculous ladybugs. Just give it some time. See you!” Bunnyx waved before making her exit.

“Fair enough.” Ladybug nodded as a distant clock chimed. “Okay. Well, that leaves me with a different issue.” She grabbed Adrien’s shoulders. “I still need to head back to the office and someone’s got to pick up the kittens.” She bit her lip nervously before giving him a look of utter desperation. “Would you do me this favor and not tell Mini Me?”

“Ah—” Adrien voice was caught in his throat before he blurted out a reply. “Yes, anything!” He felt weak to her words, it’s like to her older self, he’d give anything to see her smile.

Ladybug let out another laugh before turning around. “Tikki, Spots Off!”

Adrien’s eyes widened as her signature pigtails disappeared and were replaced with a short bob haircut that ended right above the collar of her blazer; yet despite how cropped her hair was, he couldn’t see her face.

“Tikki, can please you go with Adrien and Plagg to pick up the kittens? I’ll meet you guys back at the room as soon as I can.” She pleaded as she handed her kwami a macaron. Adrien was blinded by the rays of sunlight before him, but somehow took note of a sparkling red stone on her ring finger. “I’ll text Em the details on my way back to the studio.”

“Sure thing!” Tikki chirped.

“Thank you.” The raven-haired woman began to sprint. “See you later!”

Tikki flew up to Adrien with a wave before settling herself atop Adrien’s hair. “Alright, Adrien, let’s go!” She motioned forward.

As Adrien walked, he listened to Tikki’s instructions about time travel; though they mostly included the basics like don’t draw attention to yourself, take pictures, and all in all don’t ask for spoilers. After all, per Bunnyx, what’s been seen can’t be unseen when it comes to time travel.

“Okay, Adrien, we’ll arrive as soon as you turn this corner!” Tikki cheered.

“Finally!” He exhaled, if he was being honest, he wasn’t sure how many more rules he could listen to. Plagg had always told him that Tikki was always the stricter one, but he’d thoroughly underestimated her. Adrien gazed forward at the building before him. It was a property he’d never had the opportunity to visit in his life: an elementary school.

“Sugar Cube, when you said _kittens_ , did you mean…?” Plagg’s eyes widened incredulously.

“Yup.” Tikki giggled as she patted Adrien’s hair. The school bell rang and within seconds children of all ages flooded down the steps. “Chat Noir’s kittens!”

Adrien could feel his blood run cold, a wave of emotions including fear, panic, excitement, and more just overwhelming him. He tried to swallow, but his mouth felt too dry. “Chat Noir’s kittens… with Ladybug?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When Ladybug said she was setting herself up for a pun, she meant because she said "...there’s an emergency of the worst kind..." and was expecting her Chaton to say, "You mean a FASHION EMERGENCY?" and so was caught off guard when she didn't hear it.


	2. Kittens... AS IN PLURAL?

Adrien could feel himself break out in cold sweat as he followed the red kwami’s instructions of having to stand against a distant flag pole.

Was he seriously going to meet his own kids? His heart was pounding out of his chest. A range of emotions began to overwhelm him from panic to excitement. It was like for some reason he was expecting to wind up at a veterinary clinic! He felt like such an idiot for not realizing that “kittens” meant “children.” _Of course_ , Chat Noir would refer to them as that!

But his anxiety could only last so long because before he knew it, he felt a small hand grasp his. Adrien swallowed hard, clenching his eyes shut before slowly turning to see what looked like his own eyes staring back at him. A little girl, no more than eight gazed up at him, her hair swept off in a ponytail to one side, blonde and wavy, with a white pearl tiara shaped like a pair of cat ears resting upon her head. She looked just like a little… “ _Emilie…_ ” He choked out the name. She looked so much like him… like his own mother.

“Oh!” The little girl pursed her lips. “Mommy told me that I was supposed to have you refer to me as _Little Purrincess_ like Daddy normally does, but you already seem to have figured out my name?” She tilted her head in an inquisitive and kitten-like manner. “In that case, you can just call me Emma! We only really call Grandma, Emilie!”

“I— Em— Wait, _Grandma_? Is she—?” Adrien winced as he felt something tug at his hair, probably, most likely, Tikki. “Sorry.” The apology winced.

“Emma Agreste, call your mother right this instant and tell her what happened!” Tikki grumbled.

“Okay!” Emma cheered as she whipped out her phone; Adrien thought the phones of the future looked so cool! The glittery green pawprint charm shimmered in the daylight as it dangled from the case.

Emilie Agreste, II… his daughter was named after his mother! “Cute…” Adrien couldn’t help but whisper.

“Mommy! You were right, Daddy really was a super handsome boy!” She squealed.

Adrien felt his cheeks flush; his future daughter thought he looked handsome, but not only her, but Ladybug too!

“Hm, okay! Okay, Mommy. Yes!” Emma nodded while talking on the phone. “We’ll be on our best behavior, _purromise_!”

“Kitten!” Plagg pointed with his paw. “Definitely _your_ kitten!”

“Pfft!” Adrien puffed his cheeks just slightly top stop himself from physically collapsing from laughter. His kid made cat puns! YES! Wait, weren’t there supposed to be _kittens_? As in… _plural_?!

“Tikki, Mom wants you to go back to her.” Emma grinned. “Don’t worry, we got this!”

Tikki gave a hesitant glance over to her before shifting her gaze onto Adrien and Plagg. “Behave yourself, Stinky Sock!” She warned before taking her leave.

Adrien could’ve sworn Plagg swooned; kwami love was interesting to say the least.

Emma squeezed Adrien’s hand to grasp his attention. “Maman wants to talk to you.” Emma slipped the sleek phone into his hand. “I’ll be back in a sec!” She skipped away as he lifted the phone to his ear.

A sweet laughter filled his ears. “Didn’t think you’d just guess her name just based on her looks, but yeah, she’s named Emilie, after your mother. She has a really long name like you so everyone just calls her Emma, but as for the other kittens…”

“Pawdon us!”

Adrien’s gaze shifted over to two little boys, both about six with darker hair. One had piercing green eyes with extremely fluffy dirty blond, almost brown hair, and freckles while the other had dark hair and bright blue eyes hidden behind polka dot frame glasses. Seeing the resemblance between him and his Lady any and all doubts he had were gone, these three were really his future children.

“Just call the twins, _Hue_ , and _Lou_ then.” Ladybug hummed. “Just hang out and play or whatever until I get back with dinner. You’ve just gotta stay outta sight.”

“Gotcha.” Adrien squirmed slightly as the children’s curious eyes locked onto his figure. “Ladybug… I have a question…”

“Yes, Adrien?”

He pursed his lips as he turned his back on them with a hushed whisper. “HOW ARE YOU SO CALM? No offense, but the lady I know would be way stricter about this and probably yeet me across Paris or something.”

The children began motioning for him to follow them. While it probably wasn’t safe for him to be talking on the phone while walking his kids down the busy streets of Paris, he did put more focus on the traffic symbols and relied on Plagg to keep him in check.

“Is it weird to say that time travelling happens to us way more often than it should?” Ladybug paused for a moment. “Your seventeen-year-old self came by when Emma was just a few weeks old… and for three whole days! I literally had to hide you at home, teach you how to change a diaper over again, and wear a Ladybug mask the entire time as to stop you from figuring out my secret identity. Meanwhile your older counterpart had to go to school as to not draw suspicion! We were lucky it all happened on a Friday so he could pretend to be too sick to go out over the weekend—” She suddenly stopped ranting, probably because she shouldn’t have said any of that.

It was a good thing though because he was too distracted by the fact that they led him to the Le Grand Paris hotel, although, he was pretty sure he heard her grumble something along the lines of _“Good thing your father didn’t show his face during that time or who knows what would’ve happened.”_

“Ladybug, why’d they lead me to Le Grand Paris hotel?!”

“Our place is currently under construction with remodels and repairs.” Ladybug sighed as he stepped onto the elevator. “Anyway, please give the phone back to Emma!”

He did what he was told and after Emma received a few more instructions from Ladybug, which she relayed in whisper to the twins, they entered the suite. 

Emma immediately tackled him onto a nearby couch. “Maman said I had to make sure to stop you from seeing any pictures of her and Papa.”

“Oh…” He responded as the girl’s tiny hands covered his eyes. He could hear the twins shuffling around and giggling as they dragged around chairs and flipped over what he assumed would be picture frames.

“Okay, we’re ready!” The twins called in unison.

Emma shifted her weight to allow him to sit back up. He looked around the suite, not too many personal touches could be noted, and any nearby picture covered his and Ladybug’s faces with respective cat and ladybug shaped stickies.

“Mom said we can’t play any games or watch any TV that exist in the past…” The boy who Adrien soon found to be called “Lou” spoke quietly as he removed his glasses.

The other twin, Hue, began to grin. “But she did say we could play with all the kwamis!” He grabbed a large red and black spotted orb and jumped into the air.

Lou immediately grabbed the horse miraculous and placed it on his face. “Kaalki!”

“Prince Louis.” The little horse flicked her mane.

Eagerly the kids took turns picking up miraculous and putting them on. Adrien had to admit it was pretty cool seeing how the miraculous camouflaged. He’d only heard of some of the kwamis in passing from Ladybug too, but they all seemed to know of him.

“Mama said it’d dangerous to wear too many.” Hue whispered as he lifted up the box, the fox miraculous shimmering gold around his neck. “So do you maybe want to wear some?”

Adrien gazed down at the box, taking note of the ones that they’d put on and the slots that remained empty… the peacock and butterfly’s were still unoccupied. He slipped on the familiar ouroboros bracelet and dropped the circlet onto his head prompting a visit from Sass and the monkey he’d known to be called Xuppu.

“Hello.” Adrien greeted the kwamis.

“Hello. Oh! Lookss like you two have come from the passt.” Sass’ eyes shifted over to Plagg. “Would you like to join me for ssome cheese? They have a sseparate refridgeratorr jusst forr that.”

“You bet!” Plagg gasped. “My future self will probably get mad, but that’s a problem for a different day!”

Adrien gave a soft chuckle, glad that they got along.

“Oh! Oh! I have an idea!” Xuppu chortled. “Give me a sec!” He flew over to Emma. In a matter of moments, she picked up Lou who then reached up onto a bookshelf and brought down a pink album with white polka dots.

“What’s this?” Adrien tilted his head slightly. The pattern felt familiar, but he couldn’t put his finger on it as to why.

“Oh you’ll see!” Xuppu snickered as he flipped over the cover. “Ladybug gets super embarrassed whenever we remind her of its existence.”

Adrien opened the cover to realize it was a look book. He flipped through the pages, somehow impressed. It was filled with pictures of him; some from magazines or ads, others just candid photos. “Your mother made this?”

“Yup!” Hue grinned. “She said she’d been collecting photos of you ever since the day she fell in love with you!”

“But…” Adrien could feel a slight pang in his chest. His lady hadn’t loved him. Well, at least not yet, and somehow he couldn’t help but feel envious of his future self. He looked down again at the children before him; they were adorable! As his gaze fell upon the page that transitioned from shots of him, the model Adrien Agreste, to his transformed alter ego, Chat Noir, he couldn’t help but wonder… Just when would she finally fall for him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eh, I tried my best to draw children.  
> I imagine Hugo with fluffy hair, green eyes, and a toothy grin with sharp canines. He also will love any sort of cheese snack!  
> Then Louis would be pale and frail looking with that cute tearful look like them crybaby characters who hide behind their siblings. Totally imagine him with a pair of glasses Marinette advertised from L'AMY GROUP in that one cute PV. https://en.lamygroup.com/lunetier/lunettes-miraculous  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB6wBIFpfFg  
> 


	3. Ma Petite Coccinelle

“Chat Noir, look out!” Ladybug screamed in warning.

“Cata—" Chat couldn’t even get the word out before getting hit with the akuma’s attack.

When the light of the blast faded, he was no longer there and all of the color drained from Ladybug’s face. “W-What have you done!?” She screamed, her emotions getting the better of her. She hardly heard her earrings start to beep.

“Uh oh, guess you’d better start looking for your lost kitty, Ladybug. Although, it’s not a matter of where you can find him, but perhaps when.” The akuma taunted before making its exit.

Ladybug looked at the now useless lucky charm in her hand and made a mad dash for where she calculated he would land if it truly just threw him backward. She ran past a few alleyways and wondered… what did the akuma mean by where versus _when_ she found him?

After almost passing what looked like a figure slumped in the dark, she came to a halt. Blond hair, black cat ears and suit, but…

She approached him cautiously. “Chat Noir…?” She voiced his name, her breath ragged. He was much larger than before, his hair longer, and his features more mature.

He stirred slightly before opening his eyes… “Marinette…” He smiled weakly as he tried to sit up, only to fall back down.

“W-What?” She gasped before time ran out and she de-transformed. “Wh-What’s going on?” Marinette looked to Tikki in a panic. “What do I do?”

The Chat Noir before her knew who she was beneath the mask! But he was passed out again and in no condition to answer any of her questions.

“Marinette… I can sense that…” Tikki began slowly, somewhat faint from hunger. “He’s from the future…”

“Oh no! No!” She silently screamed as she pulled out a macaron. She needed to get them out of there and fast! After transforming once more she lifted him up and brought her to her balcony to rest.

Pacing in silent panic, she took in the sight of this so-called “Future Chat Noir.” He was definitely an adult, probably in his mid to late twenties. His suit hadn’t changed in the least, although he was no longer wearing that silly bell. “Oh goodness! Where is Bunnyx when you need her?” She cried out in frustration.

Right here, Mini Bug!” Bunnyx peeked out of her burrow. “You know what’s funny? Your future self said that exact same thing when Kitty Noir popped up beside her!” She was laughing so hard that she was holding her sides. “Anyway, all you gotta do is defeat the akuma like usual, but you’ll need this Chat Noir’s help. He can use his cataclysm multiple times along with some other tricks and won’t de-transform after doing so.”

“But—“ Marinette was unable to argue.

“Everything will go back to normal after you defeat the akuma and use your miraculous ladybugs.” Bunnyx gave a salute before disappearing into her burrow. “See you around sometime, Mini Bug.”

“Just great.” Marinette huffed and grumbled. Well, if she was going to need his help to defeat the akuma, then might as well get to it.

“Chat Noir!” She grabbed a hold of his shoulder and began to shake him. “Chat Noir! Chat Noir, wake up! Wake up!”

“Just five more minutes, Marinette.” He grumbled in his sleep, turning over. “Unless you plan to kiss your prince to wake him from his slumber, I am not—”

“Oh, _that is it_ , you stupid cat!” She shoved him off the lawn chair.

“Meowch!” He yelped, now wide awake. “Marinette!! Why are you being so—” He whined before blinking to take in her appearance. “ _Oh_.”

“ _ **Oh**_ , is right!” Marinette’s face was red with fury. How could he call himself her prince! That title was only reserved for… No, _no_ , **NOPE** , she refused to finish that thought.

As Chat Noir rubbed some sore spots, he took in his surroundings. They were on a familiar balcony, right above the Dupain-Cheng bakery, however it hadn’t looked like this since… His eyes then focused on Marinette’s figure; she was even tinier than he remembered! A soft smile graced his features as he took in how cute she was and he stood up from where he lied.

“Oh, my apologizes…” He approached her slowly, running his fingers through a pigtail; his wife no longer wore it like that as a civilian. “Ma Petite Coccinelle.” He whispered as he kissed the ends of her hair.

Marinette didn’t know why, but she suddenly became flustered at the new nickname and gesture. This Chat Noir was basically a handsome older stranger to her! “W-Wha—” But from the way he was acting, if he truly was from the future, then he knew who she was beneath the mask and even worse… expected kisses to wake him up! Just how close were they going to be?! “Focus, Chat Noir!”

Chat stepped back to stretch a bit, working out the kinks in his muscles; he’d just finished up an akuma with his lady, all while working on an empty stomach. “Well, Plagg and I were on our way to pick up food before an akuma attacked and this whole mess happened, so we’re hungry.” He opened the hatch to her bedroom and jumped down. “Get us up to date as to what’s going on over lunch?”

“W-Wait! Who said you could go down there—” When Marinette finally managed to climb down, she saw him rummaging through her trunk, the one that was filled with Adrien’s future birthday presents! “Hey! What are you—”

He picked out a few boxes and step behind her folding screen. “Plagg, Claws In!” The green light illuminated from behind the room divider and out stepped out the future civilian version of Chat Noir wearing a white V-neck, fitted blue jeans, and some accessories he’d taken from her trunk, namely a pair of dark-green sunglasses, a blue knit beanie, and gray cardigan. His hair was now styled back and Marinette could see just about every contour of his chest muscles even more so than she could in his suit.

She covered her eyes, a bit upset, but more so frustrated at how good he looked in them. “How could you!”

Adrien took note of the date and time before pulling down the calendar she’d kept on his younger counterpart; he wasn’t gonna lie, it was pretty useful at times like these. Luckily for him, his younger self was supposed to be in his room practicing piano until dinner rather than at a photo shoot or extracurricular. A somewhat grumpy-looking Tikki gave him an exasperated look, making him turn his attention back to Marinette; he needed to try and sympathize with her. During this time in his life, he and his Lady were kind of used to time travel. At some point it all just became a matter of when they would be needed to travel through time.

“Ma Petite Coccinelle…” He murmured as he pulled her into his arms. Marinette didn’t know why, but somehow this felt familiar. She gazed up slowly to see him smiling down at her. “Don’t worry… I won’t take what’s not mine.” He whispered as he tilted her chin upward and pressed his lips against her fringe.

Marinette was at a loss for words as he pulled back. “Wait a minute…” She then took note of something shiny… a black metal band with dark green emeralds on the ring finger of his left hand. “You— You’re married!” Her throat felt dry as she tried to swallow the words, but couldn’t manage to stop herself from asking. “To who…?”

“Marinette,” the blond-haired man before her just smiled, “Chat Noir’s only ever loved one person, so I think you can guess the answer to that.”

Panic began to well up inside of her. “N-No… seriously…?” She whispered. “You’re married to…”

As he headed toward the exit of her room, he craned his head back to take in her expression. “Who else, but to the lady of my dreams?” He flashed her a mischievous grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Future Chat Noir/Adrien likes to tease her because he can look back on the love square and see how silly the whole thing was.


	4. One Thing That Won't Ever Change

Marinette watched as Chat Noir and Plagg munched on some baked goods she had snuck out of the reject pile from the bakery downstairs; they’d refused to do anything until she fed them.

“Are you sure there isn’t some sort of mistake? Like you’re from a different timeline? I mean, my Chat Noir doesn’t call me _Petite Coccinelle_ , he calls me _Princess_.” She was sure that there had to be some explanation to all of this as there was no way she would admit that she falls for Chat Noir. The thought that things wouldn’t work out with Adrien, well, it made her a little sad.

“Hm, there’s only one timeline, Bunnyx is around to make sure of that.” Chat picked up another croissant. “As for Purrincess, well, that title belongs to someone else now.”

Marinette furrowed her brows. “ _Who?_ ” She grumbled.

“She’s actually named after my mother, but we call her Emma.” He smiled softly as he placed a hand on top of her head. “But don’t worry, you’ll always be _My Lady_.”

 _“Emma_ …” That’s what she wanted her daughter’s name to be… her daughter with… Marinette once more shook her head at the thought.

“Ah! I was famished!” Plagg sighed in relief before patting his belly. He took note of Marinette rolling her eyes and hovered over to her. “Sorry, Marinette.” He placed a paw on her hair. “Chat Noir’s just teasing. He's usually such a pushover when it comes to his wife.”

“Can’t help it! My wife is simply the best!” Chat Noir sighed dreamily. “I would do anything fur her!”

She grumbled under her breath; if Chat Noir was her end game, she just had to ask: “In the future, are we really happy together?” She thought back to the bits and pieces of the time that Chat Blanc told her about. He did say they were happy… before, well…

“Oh Marinette,” Chat pinched her cheek, causing her to pout and glare. “We’ll have everything you ever wanted and dreamed of!” Adrien thought of his Marinette, his wife, his partner, the mother of his children, a responsible guardian, an accomplished fashion designer, a great hero of Paris, and the most amazing woman he’d ever met.

His smile was sincere, causing her face to grow flush.

The redness in her cheeks caused him to let out a genuine laugh, one that seemed just all too pleasant to her ears.

Of course, they were happy; they were, after all, meant for each other.

 _Everything she ever wanted and dreamed of? Three kids? A hamster?_ “Should you really be telling me all of this?” Marinette pulled her reddened face away.

“You’re only asking now?” Plagg muttered, more to Tikki who then elbowed him slightly.

“Well, you always work hard,” Chat clenched his hand slightly, missing her warmth, “I’m just letting you know that it’ll all pay off in the end.” He grinned as he rested his chin in his hands, just wanting to take in her cuteness.

Marinette was struggling to keep the pout on her face. "Argh, that's enough! You're done eating, right?" His stupid handsome face was frustrating her; he seemed so familiar, not just because he was Chat, but for another reason she just couldn't quite put her finger on. "Let's just go capture this akuma!"

"Hm, right behind you Ma Petite Coccinelle." Chat hummed as he shoved his hands into his pocket, snuggling up against the fabric. The gray cardigan would turn out to be one of his go to staples; it was both comfy and fashionable. He hid a smile behind the collar as she stomped out.

As they wander the streets looking for any sign of the akuma, Adrien was distracted by all the sights. Truly, a lot of things would change in the years to come.

To Marinette, however, he looked to be acting like a kid who was easily distracted by the things he saw, stopping to pause and stare every few seconds at window displays and the like.

Marinette rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand to drag him along. "Focus! You're supposed to be the adult here!" She grumbled.

Chat's grin grew wider as he looked down at their hands. "Well, that’s one thing won’t ever change.”

Marinette raised a brow as he lifted up her hand. “What?”

He kissed the back of her hand gently. “How tiny and warm your hand feels in mine.” A handsome smirk graced his peach-colored lips.

That was it! Her face flared up hotter than she ever thought possible and she parted her lips slightly, ready to scream. Someone, however, beat her to it.

Civilians began running in panic and large crash could be heard as buildings began to crumble right before their eyes.

Well, at least they found the akuma.

“Time to transform!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh, lowkey name the akuma Switcheroo in my head, but I hate making up akumas and fight scenes so that's why this akuma's power is gonna be hella non-descript. All I care about is the LoveSquare dammit so you're going to see Future!Chat Noir give as many fucks as I do during the fight. LOL. Ugh, someone give me Future!Chat Noir/Adrien. Anyone else into older guys? Just imagine how hot he could be!


	5. Reassurance of Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s the necklace that Future Marinette’s wearing around her neck: https://www.tiffany.com/jewelry/necklaces-pendants/ladybug-charm-GRP06663/  
> You can pretend it's red if you want.

Adrien had spent a fair amount of time getting to know his future children and although they were only in elementary school, he could see how much they had taken after him or well, they had in common besides making cat puns. Seriously though, he had to admit, with cat puns coming from three small children and potentially her husband, it’s a wonder how Ladybug could stay sane… unless, she secretly liked their puns!?! He grinned softly at the possibility.

Adrien fell backward onto couch, admittedly, a little worn out. The children possessed endless amounts of energy! Maybe he shouldn’t have let them eat all those cookies and cheese snacks...

He watched as the trio cycled through various activities and as they played, realized that they kind of felt more like the siblings or friends he only ever wished he could have growing up. The interactions between them, arguments, jokes, laughs… he couldn’t help but feel glad that they had each other, that they wouldn’t be forced to spend their childhood alone in some big empty mansion.

Emma seemed to be a great older sister and despite the twins seeming to be complete opposites of each other, Adrien could see that they had each other’s backs, aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. They were all so kind, clever, thoughtful, and surprisingly responsible which he was sure they inherited from his lady. Despite the stickies covering his and Ladybug’s faces, he could tell by the pictures around the room that they were going to be parents who were very involved in their children’s lives. Though, if he was being honest, his kids were a little too well rounded; their activities ranged from fencing competitions to music recitals, all three of them modeled and even knew how to speak Chinese! They all seemed to be pretty happy though, probably having chosen to pick these things up of their own volition.

A smile so wide formed on his face as the children approached him, making him understand how it felt to feel a cavity forming from seeing something so cute. “You’re done playing already?”

“Well, we know that you’re tired so…” Emma smiled softly as she took a seat beside him, resting her head on his arm, “we decided it was time to take a little catnap!”

Hue climbed up behind him and wrapped his arms around his neck, snuggling his face into Adrien’s blond hair with a soft purr.

Louis shyly climbed into Adrien’s lap, a little yawn escaping his lips as he gripped his shirt and closed his eyes. “今天跟你玩的真开心 [We had fun playing with you.]"

Within minutes, he could sense them falling asleep one by one, their breaths becoming more rhythmic. Knowing that he was fully trapped between them, Adrien allowed his fatigue to take over and closed his eyes to welcome dreamland.

* * *

Marinette was glad to have gotten that potential fashion disaster squared away; it wasn’t easy being the head designer of the Gabriel Agreste brand, especially with Gabriel Agreste himself not being around. As Tikki did her a favor and placed an order for pizzas on her phone, she scrambled to finish the rest of her work. She knew her kids were responsible little bugs, but they could still mischievous little kittens! Yin and Yang, she figured.

When Marinette opened the door with dinner, she was surprised to see everyone huddled up together on the couch, completely spent. She let out a soft exhale of relief as she peeled the twins off of Adrien and shifted Emma away, lying her on her other side. Truly, she was surprised at how her energetic children were convinced to take a nap when it was nearly impossible to ever get them to adhere to their bedtimes.

“Adrien…”

“Adrien...!”

“Adrien, please wake up…”

At sound of his name, Adrien began to stir. The woman’s voice was so soothing, so pleasant, filled with love and affection. As he began to open his eyes, Adrien was greeted with a familiar smile, one that he thought for a moment belonged to his mother. The smile, however, belonged an attractive stranger, one with hair dark as night and freckles peeking out from underneath red and black polka dot sunglasses.

“Hey, Adrien.” The somehow familiar stranger smiled, tapping her slender fingers against his cheeks, the rings on her left hand cool in contrast. “It’s me, Ladybug.”

His eyes shot open and he instantly straightened his posture, trying to recall what he’d done just before falling asleep. Green eyes flickered around the hotel suite to see Emma resting her head against the arm rest with the twins huddled up against her, innocent smiles gracing all of their faces. Adrien turned his attention back to the Ladybug of the future. “So… it wasn’t a dream?”

Marinette blinked a few times; his grin was so bright that she was glad she was wearing sunglasses. “I’m afraid not, Mon Minou.” She ran her fingers through his soft blond locks before she began to ruffle them. “Come, have dinner with me.” She motioned toward the steaming hot pizza boxes.

“Woah!” Adrien’s stomach instinctively grumbled; he hardly ever had the chance to eat pizza. “Oh, wait, what about them? Should we wake them up?”

The woman shook her head, knowing full well that they were impossible to wake up once asleep. Seriously, it was a wonder how they weren’t late on a daily basis like she always was; it was probably because they took after her husband and adored going to school. “No, it’s fine, they all seem to be a fan of cold pizza, something about hot melted cheese and cat’s tongues being sensitive? I don’t really get it, so I just blame Plagg.”

“Hey!” Plagg whined as he flew out of Adrien’s shirt pocket. “Cheese is meant to—"

“Come along now, Stinky Sock.” Tikki rolled her eyes as she dragged him away.

Ladybug let out another laugh that mesmerized Adrien; the sound was the same as it’s always been, making him feel lighter and stronger, like he could do anything if it was for her. She was finally facing him, allowing him to take in the features of her adult civilian self; she was breathtakingly beautiful. Her body was petite, but fit, with her clothes looking as if they were simply meant to be worn by her. Her black-grey pantsuit and amaranth colored top were bold yet professional and in playful contrast, a shiny ladybug charm dangled from a long chain around her neck. Adrien had recognized the charm; it was one of the newest pieces (well, new at his time), released from Tiffany and Co. that he’d spotted and thought would look absolutely purrfect on his lady. Now knowing that it did, he’d bet anything that he would be the one to gift it to her. It was unfortunate though; the stylishly large designer frames looked great, but concealed her bluebell eyes and far too much of her face to give him any hints as to who she was. Typical secret identity procedure he supposed.

After Ladybug grabbed their dinner and some drinks, she opened up the sliding door to the balcony and a surprise gust of wind blew somewhat making her lose her balance. “Ah!” She gasped, almost ready to fall and drop the boxes, but Adrien swiftly caught her in his arms to hold her steady. “Hehe, my hero!”

“B-Be careful, My Lady…” Adrien was surprised at how clumsy she seemed to be, but his thoughts instantly blanked when she kissed his cheek.

“Hm, well, I know you’ll always be here to CAT-ch me when I fall.” She whispered playfully as she straightened herself up and set the table.

Ladybug embraced cat puns in the future? Probably, with the _if you can’t beat em’, join em’ attitude,_ but still, Adrien was sure, now more than ever, that he would definitely fall for whoever was underneath the mask and love her forever.

He took a seat across his future Lady, all of Paris behind her fading in comparison to her beauty. The hot pizza was a definite treat, but he was sure it was more delicious because of the company he was sharing it with. While Ladybug ate, he found her reactions to the food to be enthusiastic and oh so charming. Adrien had a feeling that the view would be one he could get very much get used to. “You’re really… so pretty.” He complimented with a dreamy sigh. He instantly felt embarrassed at how he'd thought out loud

“Oh!” Ladybug paused as she was opening up the box for another slice. “Y-You’re so sweet.” She was blushing! “Ah!!” She quickly looked downward, absolutely embarrassed. “Argh, this is too much! You’ve got the face I fell for ever since I was thirteen.” She mumbled, dropping her face in her hands with a small whine.

Adrien felt his heart slam against his chest wall, so confused at her reaction. “T-Thirteen?” He was fifteen, almost sixteen. “B-But My Lady doesn’t…”

“Adrien!” Ladybug gasped in realization and immediately placed a finger to his lips to stop him from finishing that sentence. “I, Mini Me, We— fell for you ever since… the start of lycée.” She confessed, squirming in her seat.

“But—"

“Adrien, don’t ever feel that you were not loved, not as yourself, or as Chat Noir.” By the expression on her face, he could tell she was serious. “Believe me when I say that the person beneath Ladybug’s mask has and always will be in love with you.”

Their attention then shifted to the sound of the balcony sliding door begin to open.

“Mama…” Lou murmured as he rubbed his eyes, his eyeglass frames bouncing slightly against his little fists.

“Louis!” Ladybug immediately stood from her chair and ran to his side. “What is it, Ma Petit Prince?”

“Hm, nothing, just missed you.” He mumbled as she took him in her arms.

She peppered his cheeks with kisses, eliciting a happy squeal from her son. “Missed you too, Ma Petit Prince.”

As Lou snuggled up against Ladybug’s cheek, Adrien couldn’t help but think that he was probably the spitting image of her. His lips quivered, wanting so badly to see the blue in her eyes.

Emma peeked her head out. “Sorry to interrupt, but we were wondering if dinner was ready?”

“Yeah…” Hue then popped out, bashfully rubbing the back of his neck. “Is the pizza cold yet?”

“Hm… almost.” Ladybug kissed the other twin’s cheek as she placed Louis down. “Go wash up, the three of you, then get yourselves some drinks. The pizza should be plenty cold by the time you get back.”

“Okay, Maman!” They cheered in unison as they raced away.

“Aw, so much for my romantic dinner alone with my Little Kitty.” Ladybug teased as Adrien turned red all the way up to his ears. She had to admit, it was fun seeing him have that sort of reaction to her as she would like to think she aged well.

“R-Romantic dinner?” Adrien fanboyed quietly to himself.

“Adrien,” Marinette knelt beside him, placing a hand over his, the red and black diamonds on her ring finger glistening, “please, be patient with Mini Me… To get to this point was not easy. We go through a rough time, endlessly chasing after each other like star-crossed lovers in a story, but you need to know that the boy that your Lady is in love with is, without a doubt, Adrien Agreste. Not just because you were a model, or because you were some rich kid, but because you were kind, warm, and bright, like when sunlight finally breaks through the grey clouds of a rainstorm.” She tilted his chin upward, looking straight at him. “I will make your feelings waver, I will hurt you over and over again, but you will do the same. Boundless tears will be shed, hearts may feel broken, but please, don’t ever change… don’t ever give up… We’ve always stood by each other, always had each other, even when we didn’t know it.”

Adrien didn’t realize he was crying so until he noticed a tear drop against her rings. “Should— Should you really be telling me all this?” He quietly sobbed. Knowing that there was a future where they were together had brought him so much joy and pain; if this was all true, he couldn’t wait to grow up.

“Honestly, I’m sure my husband is doing the same to his Petite Coccinelle.” A slightly peeved puff escaped her pouted lips as she began to wipe away his tears. “I mentioned that we end up time travelling a lot, right? Ugh, you end up just teasing my younger self whenever you do!” Her cheeks reddened both in fondness and frustration. “You’re handsome now, but I’ll have you know that you grow up to be drop-dead gorgeous even as an old man who tells dad jokes!”

Adrien finally let out a laugh; he would be able to show his true personality and she would still love him for it. “Thank you, Ladybug.” He wanted to believe her, truly he did, but the future wasn’t set in stone, right?

“We’re back!” Emma announced as the twins bolted for their seats.

Adrien swiftly wiped the rest of his tears onto his sleeve and put on a model smile. “Oh, hey— oof!” He groaned slightly as Emma ran past Ladybug and hurled herself into his arms.

“Are you okay?” His future daughter gasped. “Are you hurt?” Her cheeks fuming red. “Little Purrincess is here to save you!”

Adrien was surprised by her sudden change in attitude. “I-I’m fine, Emma. T-Thank you. Um, it was just allergies…?” He looked to Ladybug who was shaking as she covered her mouth to hold back a laugh.

“She’s a real Daddy’s Girl, if you couldn’t tell.” The woman who would be his future wife whispered. “She fights me often for her father’s attention.”

“Come on,” Adrien nodded as he lifted Emma up slightly to seat her in the chair beside him, “it’s time to eat.”

As the kids went for the boxes and they all began to eat while chattering about their day, Adrien couldn’t help but feel relieved again. Eating together as a family: it was something they did often. His heart swelled as he looked at their smiling faces and just knew, if this were truly to be his future then he knew that he’d grow to become a person who would do anything to protect it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to imagine that Louis talks in Chinese when he gets really shy and that all of they all know Chinese because they were babysat often by Sabine. The Chinese is probably (totally) a bit off, but I put what I meant, LOL. Future Marinette wants to give Adrien hope, but doesn’t give a single hint as to who she could be.


	6. More Heroic Than Ladybug

After dinner, the kids insisted on getting ice cream for dessert despite it being the middle of autumn. Adrien could see the hesitant expression on Ladybug’s face. She probably didn’t want to risk him being out in public, but the children made their pleas with the biggest kitten eyes Adrien had ever seen. He had an inkling feeling that he’d be the one to blame for them developing that technique because if he was being honest, he used the same look on his bodyguard and Nathalie more times than he’d ever care to admit.

“H-Hey, how about—” Adrien began to try to tell them not to push it, but surprisingly Ladybug shook her head.

“Oh, all right.” She caved with a slight sigh.

“Yay!” The twins cheered in unison, albeit at different volumes.

“Thank you, Maman.” Emma grinned and went to ready her things. “Plagg! Tikki! You can ride with me!” She then motioned for the kwamis to come along.

Ladybug ruffled the twins’ hair as they skipped away to follow their big sister. “They’re really spoiled, Adrien.” She huffed a little. “And my husband does absolutely nothing but encourage them to be.”

“Oh…” Adrien blushed; he could believe it. “Sorry about that.” He rubbed the back of his neck bashfully. He was right; he would definitely end up being the one to blame.

“Don’t be!” Ladybug patted his cheek. “You make a great dad, very supportive and involved.” She complimented before taking his hand. “Come on, we’ve gotta get you a disguise.”

Adrien looked down at their hands and blushed; despite having grown, hers still felt so small in his. Ladybug led them to what he assumed to be her and his future self’s bedroom. At the TV were multiple video game controllers with a console he’d never seen and a stack of classic anime blu-rays he recognized from his room. His eyes continued to scan the area, having noticed a sewing machine tucked away in the corner before taking note of his lady having begun to shed her blazer.

“Give me a few minutes to change.” She spoke while extending a somehow familiar folding screen in front of the closet. Adrien could hear her humming as she began to shift through the closet in order to figure out what to wear.

“Sure.” Adrien sat down on the edge of the bed and continued to allow his eyes to wander. An ornate silver picture frame caught his eye as it shimmered under the rays of the setting sun. Inside it was a wedding photo with the bride and groom’s faces covered with respective black cat and ladybug stickies.

Unable to hold back his curiosity, he lifted up the frame to inspect it a little bit closer. He, of course, was wearing a black suit and his lady… a white lace dress adorned with different colored roses. The red transitioned into a pink floral design around the bodice of her white dress and on top of her princess line skirt looked to be an intricate rose pattern made of lace that he soon realized included symbols that represented their partnership. There were kwamis, little paw prints, ladybug spots, and even a heart embroidered with **LB + CN** that one could miss if not actively searching like a game of _I Spy_. A part of him was in awe, wondering how on earth she managed to get such a gown made, but more of him was touched by all the hidden details.

From the corner of his eye, he could see that Ladybug had just begun to change. His fingers twitched in anticipation, wanting so badly to know who she was. Just as he was about to give into the temptation of lifting off the sticker that concealed her face, he took note of the date stamped on the bottom-right corner. By then, he was to be just a little over eighteen… Adrien clenched his teeth and shook his head before placing the frame back, just as he’d found it. Just a few more years and he could be with her… he just had to have patience; to him, she was worth it… this future was worth it.

“Adrien~” Ladybug called in a sing-song voice. “I’m ready!”

Adrien turned to see his future lady dressed in a black leather jacket and crimson tulip dress with black dots of all sizes scattered across her jewel neckline. “Wow…” A blush formed on his cheeks and he could feel them get warm. “You look radiant, My Lady.”

“Eep! Thank you! You’re too cute!” A small squeak escaped her lips as she placed her hands to her cheeks, eyelids clenched shut. His radiance had always been blinding to her, especially when he acted like that. On the other hand, her husband’s flirty and joking attitude eventually mellowed out the dangerous rays of sunlight into calming rays of moonlight. “You’re so sweet, Adrien. I love you.” She murmured the last part quietly as she approached him. “Ack! Sorry! I didn’t mean that! I mean— I do, I do love you, but I didn’t mean to say it out loud and OH MY GOD, I’ll just shut up now—” She flopped herself onto the bed with a groan, just wanting to disappear.

While Ladybug muffled her voice into a pillow, Adrien gently patted her hair. Somehow, despite it being short now, this more mature look suited her and had grown on him. “It’s okay,” he spoke between chuckles, “I love you too.”

“Stop teasing me!!” She whined, playfully pounding her fists against his chest as he laughed.

“Maman! Stop flirting! We figured out where Andre’s cart is and wanna get ice cream before he changes locations!” Emma hollered from the hall.

The two of them immediately straightened up and composed themselves before standing.

“Shall we, My Lady?” Adrien grinned as he held out his arm.

“Hmph.” Marinette puffed out her cheeks before linking her arm with his. “All right, all right!” She smiled as she grabbed a gray cardigan off the coat rack. “It’s probably a bit baggy on you now, but wear this!”

Adrien placed his arms through the sleeves before pushing them up his forearms. Looking at it a bit closer, it became obvious that it was well worn; some of the stitching had gone undone and there were a few rips and tears here and there that had been repeatedly patched up. And yet, somehow when he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, he just loved the way it felt on him. He couldn’t explain why; sure, it was comfy and warm, but there was just something else about it that made him want to just wear it all the time, despite all its flaws.

Subsequently leading Adrien to a nearby dresser, Marinette began to rummage through her husband’s belongings. “Okay, I got it!” She pulled out a blue knit beanie and a pair of green tinted sunglasses. After putting them on him, a dazzling grin graced her features. “Perfect!”

“Purrfect, huh?” Adrien wiggled his eyebrows jokingly, making his lady shake her head before booping him on the nose.

“Let’s just go, Little Kitty!” She giggled as she dragged him out of the room. “Okay, mes chéries, it’s time to get some ice cream!”

“Yay!” The twins jumped up and down, ready to go as they ran out of the suite and pressed on the elevator buttons.

“Finally!” Plagg sighed dramatically from within Emma’s pochette.

The elder Tikki beside him nudged. “Plagg!”

Emma opened up a nearby closet. “Wait, don’t you want to wear the matching scarf?” She spoke, a familiar light blue scarf in hand. “Isn’t it one of your most favorite things Maman’s ever made you?”

An exasperated meep escaped Ladybug’s lips as she facepalmed in the middle of the hallway. “Oh no. This is a disaster!” She whispered quietly to herself.

Adrien paused for a moment before taking the scarf in his hands. “Your mother made this…?” It was bit faded, but definitely the same blue scarf that he’d received on his fourteenth birthday.

Louis tilted his head to the side like a confused kitten. “What are you talking about? Maman’s a fashion de—”

At the same time, Hugo tilted his head in the opposite direction of his brother. “Maman told us that she’d been making you accessories since before—”

“Ahhhh!!!” Marinette noised as she waved her hands, trying to get her children to just stop. “I told you three—!” She whimpered, knowing nothing she did could ever get Adrien to unhear what he just heard.

Plagg gulped as he called out to his holder. “Kid? You ok—"

Adrien tightened his grip the scarf, trembling slightly. Ladybug had knitted the scarf, the one that he treasured so closely. Ladybug— Not his father. Adrien clenched his eyelids shut while gritting his teeth; he had to not think about it— had to do something, anything else but ask— “W-Why?” The question came out as an almost inaudible growl and he could feel Ladybug’s body get tense without even looking her way.

“I’m sorry—” Unable to meet his gaze, she choked out the words almost too quietly. “At the time, you were so happy… thinking that it was from—”

Adrien closed his eyes and exhaled, loosening his grip on the fabric before handing it back to Emma. “Ah— It’s not that cold outside, so I’m okay for now. Thank you though.” He plastered on a model smile as she hesitantly took it from his hands. As she placed it back in the closet, he held his hand out to her. “Come on, let’s get that ice cream.”

Emma looked at his hand and then to her mother before shaking her head. “I- I have to hold the twins’ hands…” She ran towards her brothers, doing as she said. “Maman, we’ll head out first and meet you in the lobby.” She motioned for her brothers to get into the elevator before it closed.

Marinette nodded to her daughter, thankful for her ability to read the situation. Even now, Adrien’s habits never changed; she knew he was hurt and so did her children. Their father never, ever got angry with them or showed any disappointment, but they could tell that something was wrong whenever he forced a smile.

Marinette gripped her necklace, trying to ground herself as she wondered if he had figured out her identity. Bunnyx hadn’t shown up nor had she felt her memories change. “A-Adrien…?” She bit her bottom lip.

“Thank you, Ladybug.” He stepped into the hall. “I’m— I will be okay.” His lips quivered as he pressed the elevator button. “Please, let’s just go.”

“N-No!” Marinette whispered as she threw her arms around him. “I’m sorry! You were never supposed to find out, not like this.”

With a deep breath, Adrien closed his eyes and took in her sweet scent; she smelled of roses, reminiscent of the ones in the garden where he’d pick flowers for his lady. The smell of her perfume was comforting, and so he found himself clutching at her jacket as he buried his face into her soft hair. “I’m okay. Really, I am. Honestly, a part of me… a part of me is happy, knowing it’s from you.”

Marinette could feel how tightly he was holding onto her and decided to confess. “I was too nervous to give you the scarf in person at the time, and so left it with Nathalie to give to you. She told me later on that she had forgotten to purchase a present for you on your father’s behalf, and so out of desperation, used mine. She apologized, but I told her it wasn’t necessary because… the happiness it brought you to think it was from your father was far greater than any reaction you would’ve gotten from someone who had been just a friend.”

Adrien knew deep in his heart that she was telling him the truth; she had wanted to protect his feelings, and for that he only fell in love with her more. “You’re amazing, you always have been, haven’t you? I just didn’t look hard enough to notice…”

“Oh, Adrien. Don’t you know? Love is blind.” Ladybug gave a pained laugh. “Though to be fair, the concept of handsome model boy Adrien Agreste and pun-loving dork Chat Noir being one in the same was pretty far-fetched.”

Adrien let out a soft chuckle. “Hey, I thought you secretly loved my puns.”

“No, I just secretly loved you. Well, actually no, everyone around us knew about my crush except you.” Ladybug shook her head a bit. “Really though, I never thought I could get so lucky.”

“No, I’m the lucky one.” Now, more than ever, Adrien knew that he had to find his lady, because to him—whoever she was beneath the mask proved herself to be even more heroic than Ladybug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boo, I was too lazy to write about them actually going to get the ice cream and the awkwardness of how perceptive Andre the ice cream man could be.  
> Ladybug ends up ordering peach-mint which makes Adrien blush.  
> Adrien orders the ladybug combination which makes Ladybug laugh.  
> The twins share cookies & cream.  
> Plagg and Tikki share cheesecake.  
> Emma ends up ordering "Banana-Noir," a secret menu item that Andre created after having been involved in the shenanigans against the FEAST akumatized sentimonster; it makes Adrien burst out laughing.  
> 


	7. Power Demonstrations

Ladybug was livid with this akuma and extremely determined to kick its ass into the next century… so why was it kicking hers instead?

She’d transformed at a moment’s notice and thought that Chat Noir had done the same, but after leaping into action, saw that he had not joined her in the fray.

“Where’d he go?!” Ladybug huffed. She’d determined that the akuma’s power was, more or less, the ability to switch an object or, in Chat’s case, person with its future counterpart.

Named “Future Insight,” his main weapon was a blaster that looked to be straight out of a sci-fi film, using chips from the akuma’s utility belt in order to reload. All the buildings that were affected appeared to crumble at first before magically being transformed into futuristic versions of themselves, but only the parts that had been engulfed by the akuma’s area of effect. From Marinette’s perspective, the surrounding architecture was honestly quite bizarre with its mismatched pieces of new, old, and updated.

Although the blasts were only so large, that didn’t mean she wasn’t getting tired of having to dodge non-stop. There was, after all, no guarantee that if she got hit, her future self could take over the fight!

While twirling her yo-yo as a shield, she spotted the future Chat Noir, still in his civilian form, walking out of a jewelry store. He was whistling without a care in the world as he swung a pristine, blue Tiffany & Co. gift bag. Seriously! He’d ditched her to go shopping! She could see her future self would have her hands full between work, heroics, three kids, and this outrageous cat-husband!

“What the heck, Chat?!” She growled slightly as she dropped down beside him. “This is not the time to—!”

“Well, punny that you mention that…” Chat shrugged his shoulders, the cardigan falling down his lean yet muscular arms, so he could take it off more easily. “My timing never really does impurrove.” He grinned as he folded it up and tossed it in the bag along with his beanie.

“Now I feel like I’m just being PUNished!” The teenage heroine rolled her eyes, wondering how someone who looked like a literal frickin’ supermodel act like some dork who made puns all day. She couldn’t wait to get this entire thing over with. “Would you just transform already?”

Adrien huffed and turned around as he crossed his arms, green shades in hand. “But then we’d defeat the akuma too quickly and I’d have to go back!”

“Yeah, duh!” Ladybug grumbled.

“No!” The supposed adult pretended to whine. “I want to spend more time with Ma Petite Coccinelle!”

“Okay, now I seriously wonder how on earth I end up with you!” Ladybug threw her yoyo, securing it to the side of a building. After she tugged on the string and began to soar through the air, she heard him yell:

“It’s because you love me!”

Rolling her eyes again made her distracted, making her smack right into a building extension that definitely wasn’t there before. “Oof!” She fell back onto an awning and groaned. When she opened her eyes again, she saw a futuristic aircraft heading right toward her! Her eyes widened in fear, her body tensed, and she flinched as she lifted her arms up to brace herself for impact.

“BLACK STORM!”

Ladybug’s eyes shot open once more in surprise to see the future Chat Noir had transformed and was now standing right beside her, a blast of utter blackness shooting forth from his ring. She then recalled with Bunnyx had said earlier; this cat had some new tricks! When the infinitely seeming darkness faded, there was nothing left of the threat! “W-What was that?”

The handsome black cat smirked as he looked back at her, pretending to blow at his claws. “See this is why I didn’t want to transform.” His ring shined, the miraculous’ signature green pawprint still intact. “An akuma like this would be a piece of cake for me to handle.”

She could help the impressed smile that tugged at her lips. “You’re so cocky!”

He held his hand out to her. “Well, I’ve made it this far in life, right?”

Ladybug grabbed his hand without any hesitation. “With me probably right by your side to keep you from getting into too much trouble!”

“Meowch!” He hissed as he pulled her up. “Didn’t really need to call it like it is.”

“If I’ve learned anything today, it’s that if you’re not going to change, then I probably won’t either!”

“Well!” A seemingly offended gasp escaped his lips. “What if I told you that in the future you purrposely set yourself up for puns! That you pun right alongside me and our kittens!”

“Then I’d say it’s begrudgingly!” She finally let out a laugh. “Thanks for saving me and…”

“And not getting hurt in the process?” Chat Noir smirked again. “Some things do change, you know.” He ran a hand through one of her pigtails before giving the ends a kiss. “I eventually develop these new powers after you’ve had it with me taking a few too many hits.”

“Then I hope that’s something that happens sooner rather than later!” Ladybug smiled softly, relieved that at some point he’d at least end up listening to her about something. “In the meantime, we’ve still got my… Lucky Charm!” She threw her yoyo up into the air and down fell… “Ribbon?” She looked at the ridiculously long roll of satin ribbon and then to her surroundings. “I…” She bit her lip, somewhat panicked. “I really… don’t know what to do…”

Chat Noir smiled at her before gently ruffling her bangs. “Then it’s a good thing that I do!” He spoke with a wink as he took the lucky charm in his hands.

She looked at him curiously, but instantly gasped when she saw some missiles heading their way. “Look out!”

“BLACK HOLE!”

A large black hole appeared in midair, engulfing the missiles right before Chat Noir jumped into it.

“What is…?” Ladybug blinked curiously.

The black hole reappeared before the akuma. The missiles that were just launched were now directed at their opponent.

“HEY!” The akuma screamed as it just barely dodged. “That’s not fair—!”

Chat Noir then appeared from within the void. “Cataclysm!” He reached out with one hand to cataclysm Future Insight’s utility belt while simultaneously dragging him closer with the the lucky charm ribbon.

“No! NO!” Future Insight screamed as the black hole engulfed him.

Ladybug blinked and he appeared right before her with Future Insight clumsily gagged and tied with a bow on top of his head. She looked at the akuma somewhat dumbfounded, pretty sure that wasn’t how the lucky charm was supposed to be used, but hey! It worked!

“A purresent fur My Lady.” With each flick of his claws, a new cataclysm appeared, leaving Future Insight to struggle with muffled screams as Chat took his sweet, sweet time trying to find out where the little butterfly was hiding.

She remembered now! Bunnyx said that as adults they wouldn’t need to say the phrase to activate their powers! That meant he was just screaming out the names of his new moves just to show off, huh? Pursing her lips, she resisted the urge to mutter some shade under her breath. Well, he did _eventually_ help her capture the akuma, so she supposed she’d play along with her supposed future husband. “Aw babe, you shouldn’t have!”

“W-Wah! B-Babe!?” Caught off guard, he finally grazed the akumatized object, releasing the little black butterfly. His wife never ever called him that!

Swiftly, Ladybug captured the akuma with her yoyo. “Gotcha!” A teasing expression adorning her face. Playtime was over for the akuma, so that meant she in turn could be playful with her attitude.

Her cute wink and tiny tongue sticking out was just too adorable for Adrien to handle! The black cat felt his heart squeeze before he shook his head with a somewhat defeated laugh. No matter how many powers he'd developed, he'd always find Ladybug's ability to capture his heart over and over again to be the most impressive of them all. “That you did, My Lady. That you did.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao, I couldn't think of a name for the akuma so I just named it Future Insight. Originally, I thought of naming him Spoiler Alert, being some fan who had the season finale of something spoiled for him which greatly upsets him because he was too busy with school to watch it.
> 
> Chat Noir’s powers are just the same ones from his old concept art.  
> 


	8. Already, Always, All Along

As the victim began to de-akumatize, Chat Noir leapt to the roof while Ladybug took the civilian down to the ground below. She comforted the victim who turned out to be an innovation major who was struggling with some sort of midterm project. Considering the circumstances, it was a surprise that the akuma was as strong as it was. Well, at least with the help of her partner she was able to get through it like always.

As Ladybug waved goodbye to the university student, she glanced up above from the corner of her eye to see Chat Noir looking down at her like some kitten waiting for its owner to get back.

With pursed lips, she made her way up while trying to hold back a laugh. “Seriously, your powers are way too OP!”

“Eh, not really.” Her future counterpart shrugged. “After all, I’ve got akumas like Monsieur Rat to deal with.”

At that, Ladybug recalled what Bunnyx told her when they first met. According to Bunnyx, in the future, Ladybug would become a great superhero and awesome team leader who defeats all sorts of different villains. Although, Bunnyx did make it seem like Ladybug and Chat Noir’s dynamic was complicated to say the least when her kitty asked if they were “♡.” She shook her head, guess that didn’t mean anything for Marinette and whoever Chat Noir was beneath the mask.

“Oh Marinette, this is for you by the way.” Chat beamed with excitement before offering her the Tiffany & Co. bag.

“What’s this?” She questioned. Atop the fashion pieces he borrowed was a little jewelry box.

“Just a little something for you to _remember the date_ by.” He joked with a double meaning.

She opened up the box to reveal a shiny little ladybug pendant. “Wait, this is too— I can’t—” 

“You don’t have to wear it if you don’t want to.” He shook his head, indicating that he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Swiftly, he took the necklace from the box and secured the chain around her neck. “But I’ll have you know it suits you purrfectly.”

Right before heading to work this morning, Adrien’s wife had found the very same pendant at the bottom of the trunk where she’d once kept his presents. It was a mystery to the both them as to how it got there, having suddenly appeared like magic. He’d recalled that it was something he had eyed as a teenager while online shopping for presents he thought would complement his lady, but never did he actually have the courage to buy it. However, upon a single glance at the pendant, they both felt like there was some precious memory attached to it that was bound to be remembered sooner or later; he now knew why.

Ladybug looked down at the gift she’d received; it was undoubtedly beautiful, but something she wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing if she wanted to keep her identity a secret. “Thank you… I’ll treasure it.” As she fiddled with the chain around her neck, she decided to ask the question that was somehow eating at her ever since she’d laid eyes on her future partner. “I know this is a bit random, but I was wondering… what happened to your bell?” Suddenly, she began to get flustered. “I mean, I know Plagg and I teased you about it, but you didn’t need to change your costume if you didn’t want to! I mean I was just curious! You don’t need to tell me if you don’t want—”

“Marinette...” Chat took her hands in his and her rambling ceased to continue. “There was a reason I ever had the bell in the first place, I mean aside from it being cute.” Just for a moment, he hesitated on telling her the truth. “The bell was a reference to a domestic kitten; it conveyed my inner desire for a loving home.” He closed his green eyes and placed her left hand over to where his bell once resided. “It disappears on its own the day after we get married and move into our own place…” Opening his eyes once more, he gives her the sweetest smile, a truly sincere one that makes her heart ache. “It’s you who gives me what I always wanted, Marinette… a family.”

Tears began to rim Marinette’s eyes. It wasn't fair; that kind of answer had completely taken her off guard! She knew that her kitty’s mother was out of the picture and that his father wasn’t particularly invested emotionally, but never could she imagine how cold and alone he must’ve felt this whole time. Her parents were kind and supportive… she grew up in a “loving home” and ignorantly thought it should’ve been the norm… Sure, one day she could maybe become what he needed, but for her kitty’s sake, she couldn’t help but hope that that day be one sooner rather than later. “I’m sorry…” She whispered, tears spilling forth.

“Oh, Marinette...” A strong pair of arms wrapped around her, causing her to stiffen for only a moment before relaxing into his secure embrace. The feeling was so warm, comforting, safe… “You don’t need to feel sorry for me…” His breath was hot against her ear. “You don’t need to change for me…” He held her tighter. “You’ve always been perfect just the way you are… clumsiness and all.”

“Chat…” She gripped at his arms for a moment before finally returning the embrace with a small laugh. The man before her would love and accept her for everything that she was. His wife was one lucky woman, that was for sure.

Adrien placed a chaste kiss upon her forehead. “It was fun seeing you again, my cute little Coccinelle, but seeing as the akuma’s been defeated, I think it’s about time we get things back to the way they were.” Her future counterpart gave her a sad smile as her earrings beeped; she was down to just three spots left.

“Yeah…” The tears that stained Ladybug’s flushed cheeks subsided as she tossed the lucky charm into the air and activated her power. “MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!”

The day was certainly an adventure, considering that Marinette had learned things that were probably better off having been left to chance. As the magic began to swirl around the future Chat Noir, she called out to him with a small, quivering voice. “Chat Noir…”

He looked at her, eyes filled with nothing but adoration. “What is it, Ma Petite Coccinelle?”

“I’m sorry that the present me… doesn’t feel that way about my kitty…” She by no means was trying to talk herself out of loving Adrien and moving onto Chat out of pity, but there was this weird feeling deep down that she was missing out on something. “At least not ye—”

Chat’s shoulders began to shake as he took deep breaths in and out. He was looking down, leaving her unable to gauge his reaction. At first Ladybug thought he was going to cry, but then realized that he… was laughing?

Chat began to back himself up toward the edge of the building, a large billboard advertisement behind him in the distance. “That’s just the thing, My Lady…” His smile was brighter than the sun that shone above them and its radiance made Marinette’s heart pound a familiar rhythm. “You already do… and always have.” His shoulders finally began to relax as his body began to fade. “See you around some time, Buginette!” And with that he was gone, leaving her to wonder about his words. However, just for a moment, she swore that the futuristic billboard from behind him featured a gorgeous male model with blonde hair and green eyes before transforming back to an ad featuring her beloved Adrien.

Although curious as to what he’d meant, she didn’t dwell on it for too long because in his place stood her kitty with a surprised look on his face.

After blinking a few times, he suddenly crossed his arms and pouted. “Aw man! I was just about to learn the name of our hamster!” He whined. “Oops. Ah, sorry… your future self told me not to tell you about the stuff I saw in the future…” His nervous tic of rubbing the back of his head kicking in.

“Pfft, that’s okay kitty. Your older self did nothing but!” She shook her head, unable to hold back a smile.

With a promise that they were soulmates who were meant to be and endless days filled with nothing but laughter and smiles… Marinette had to admit she could feel her heart flutter at that possibility of such happiness, even if it was with her silly kitty of a partner.

“Oh yeah?” A sheepish grin blooming on his face. “Then… you know that the future that…”

“That we…” Ladybug made a little heart shape with her fingers, the gesture causing Chat Noir to take note of the new necklace locked around his lady’s neck. “Yeah, Kitty.” She then broke the heart she’d made. “Sorry, but… the future isn’t set in stone and I’m not ready to give up on that other boy just yet!”

“You don’t have to…” Chat hesitated just screaming out that the boy she loved was him beneath the mask. Although, even if she did know it was him, there was no guarantee she would immediately return his feelings or believe him. The Ladybug of the future requested that he be patient and reassured him that all the pieces would fall into place if he gave it just a little time. Although, his future wife never did say he had to change tactics in the meantime! “I’ll just have to make sure you fall for me harder than you ever did him!”

“Ugh, your future self was really cocky too!” Ladybug huffed, crossing her arms before taking note of the last few beeps of her miraculous. “Uh oh! Gotta go!”

“My Lady!” Suddenly, Chat Noir reached out to run his hand through one of his lady’s pigtail, freeing it from the red ribbon hold. With knowledge that she was going to cut her midnight tresses in the future, her locks somehow seemed more precious. He leaned in to take in her scent and she in turn reflexively stiffened at the sudden closeness. With unwavering determination, he gazed into her bluebell eyes before kissing the ends of her hair. “In time you’ll see that I’m the boy you’ve loved all along, Bugaboo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At that, Ladybug blushes so hard she uses her last few beeps as an excuse to run. When she de-transforms in a nearby alley, she can't help but keep watch on Chat Noir until he too decides it's time to get back to reality.  
> If you feel like dropping the story you can do so here. It’s honestly how I intended for it to end.  
> For those who do like this fic, I’ve decided to continue with updates as to how the love square changes with knowledge that they are each other's endgame, complete with angst, identity reveals, and a happy ending.


	9. Welcome Back

Adrien opened his eyes to see that he was holding up the family’s pet hamster who appeared to be blinking at him, confused. “Oh!” He gasped as he felt a force come at his waist and legs from multiple different directions.

“Papa!!”

“Daddy!!”

“Dad!!”

Adrien placed the hamster back into its cage and knelt down to his children’s eye level, ruffling their hair and giving them hugs.

Marinette watched as the miraculous ladybugs between them faded, pieces of their memories become more clear and vivid. She blinked a few times before lifting her sunglasses and giving her greeting. “Welcome back, My Adrien.”

“It’s good to be back, My Lady.” Adrien smiled, before tilting her chin up to give her a kiss. The amazing woman before him encouraged him to continue pinning after Ladybug. He then looked down at his precious children; these three were the ones who inspired him to get stronger, strong enough to protect his lady and everyone he held dear without having to sacrifice himself. "It's good to be home."

“We missed you!”

“Where’d you go?”

“Were you out on a superhero mission?”

The three curious kittens huddled in close, bouncing in excitement.

“Settle down, mes chéries. Your father must be tired, so how about we let him rest for a bit before asking some questions, hm?” Marinette urged the children to give him some space while giving her husband a sympathetic look. “How about you three get ready for bed and we can have your father tell us all about his adventure.”

“Okay!” The twins agreed in unison as they raced to the tub.

Emma, however, hesitated to let go. “It was really nice to meet your younger self, but I still like my Papa best.” She whispered as she buried her face into her father’s shirt.

Adrien smiled at his daughter fondly before lifting her up. To him, she’d never be too old to carry. “I love you, my Little Purrincess.” After having received a kiss on the forehead, a smile bloomed upon his beloved Emma’s face.

Marinette turned around and quietly huffed, puffing her cheeks out a little. She hated how she could feel jealous of her own daughter.

“Are you jealous?” Adrien gave his wife a teasing grin.

Marinette crossed her arms, letting out an exasperated gasp at the accusation. “Just wait until Emma gets a crush on a boy her own age and we’ll see who’s the jealous one then!”

“How dare you!” Dramatically gasping, Adrien held his daughter closer. “That’ll never—”

“Oh! I do have a crush on someone actually!” Emma chirped.

Adrien blanched and Marinette’s jaw dropped; they both looked to their daughter in disbelief.

“Oh, really now?” A smirk of victory spread across Marinette’s face. “Well, that’s wonderful, Emma! What’s he like? How did the two of you meet?”

“W-Well, he’s really quiet, but very kind. We met over the summer, he was trying to save a kitten from the rain by bringing it to the animal shelter…” Emma’s little hands made their way to her cheeks as she flushed red all the way up to her ears. “He lives in Italy during the school year, but we text a lot and he said he plans to come by again and visit this summer.”

“Aww, how sweet!” Marinette gushed; while she was happy for her daughter and somewhat excited about the idea of maybe getting her husband back, she decided to act a bit more dramatic to trigger a response from Adrien. “Maman’s here to support you all the way, Emma!”

“Really, Maman?” Emma’s peridot eyes lit up, sparkling.

Adrien began to tremble as he placed his daughter back down on the ground. “No…” His lips quivered at the thought of losing his only daughter to some unknown boy. “What’s this boy’s name, Emma?” He didn’t bother faking a smile; for the first time maybe ever, he was visibly distraught.

Marinette patted her husband’s shoulder, trying to hold herself back from laughing in his face. “Now, now Adrien… you know that—"

Emma for once, was completely oblivious to how her father was feeling, her thoughts too pre-occupied with the chestnut brown-hair boy with olive green eyes who she’d met on a rainy day while taking care of stray cats in need of a new home. “His name is Nolan! Nolan Rossi!” She said with the biggest smile her parents had ever seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUN. You know that little ship leads to a whole bunch of issues in the future. LOL.  
> This is just a short, fun chapter.  
> Fun Fact: Emma is the president/creator of an after school club/program called "Pawsitivity" where they go to the animal shelter to play with the pets without owners.  
> Nolan Rossi is the original character of ratheroddranger who makes all sort of miraculous AUs.


	10. Emilie Minette Victoire Nathalie Dupain-Cheng Agreste

My name is Emilie Minette Victoire Nathalie Dupain-Cheng Agreste, but that’s such a mouthful, so you can just call me Emma! I’m just a normal girl with a normal life, but regarding my family, I guess you could say they’re “miraculous.”

Yup, my parents are the Ladybug and Chat Noir! They, along with their team of superheroes, fight against the forces of evil, mainly akumas created by the user of the butterfly miraculous. Ah! But not my Grand Papa-llon, Gabriel Agreste, he’s no longer Hawkmoth. The new Hawkmoth is actually named Farfalla; she makes weird akumas like Monsieur Rat and seems more focused on causing chaos than anything. I’m not too worried though, because my Daddy and Mommy are the best, both in and out of the costume!

My mother’s name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng Agreste! She’s the head designer of the Gabriel Agreste brand since Grand Papa-llon retired to spend the rest of his days with Grandma Emilie. Maman is very creative, always thinking up new ideas or making something with her hands, whether it be clothing for the Agreste fashion show or sweet designs for Grandpa Tom and Grandma Sabine’s bakery. Even though Maman is the miraculous Ladybug, she’s super human out of the mask. She’s always sleeping in, running late, and tripping over nothing! She’s so clumsy that Papa has to stick by her side to catch her when she falls!

My father’s name is Adrien Agreste! While he occasionally helps to model Mama’s designs, he’s mostly a house cat. I mean stay-at-home dad! He holds down the fort and does typical house husband stuff like work from home, cook, and help with me and my brothers with homework since Mama’s always so busy at the atelier. Even though I know Papa loves Mama best, I still like to tease her by hogging his attention. Maman always makes the funniest faces when I do.

I have two younger brothers, Hugo and Louis; they’re fraternal twins. Honestly, I find it odd how two people can be so similar and different at the same time.

Hue’s extremely curious and always up for an adventure which may or may not lead to trouble with his clumsiness. He likes to draw pictures in his sketchbook journal to illustrate his day. Sometimes he helps Mama with designs for the _Miraculous Kids_ line, but that mostly involves color-coordination or where he thinks there should be hidden pockets in clothes. Oh, and he is always up for cheese snacks! You don’t even know how many things he’s knocked over and broken trying to climb the tables or counters for those! Plagg’s got a soft spot for him and always takes the blame for the destruction whenever he can.

Louis, on the other hand is quiet as a mouse; he mumbles and stutters whenever he speaks, that is, if he even bothers to speak in French over Chinese! He’s super shy to the point that he’ll just run and hide if someone so much as tries to make eye contact. He’ll come out for a cookie though! Can’t tell if it’s cute or a cause for concern about his priorities. Weirdest thing about him is that he’s like super photogenic! Like if you point a camera in front of him, he suddenly becomes the perfect child model. Lowkey think that because Momma calls him her Petit Prince, he always wants to dress up and look super handsome in front of her.

My best friend’s name is Kanon Tsurugi, her name is written with the characters for flower ( _花_ ) and sound (音), but is pronounced like "Canon!" She’s the daughter of Luka Couffaine (Viperion) and Kagami Tsurugi (Ryuko). Although she goes to a different, all girls’ school, we’ve got a lot in common, or well, I’m highly influenced by her. She’s even taught me Japanese! We fence together after school, getting lessons from her Obāsan and practice violin at her Grandma’s boathouse during lunch. We often participate in competitions, finding that we just make just as good rivals as we do friends.

And as for my crush… his name is Nolan Rossi. He only comes to Paris during the Summer to be with his mother, but otherwise lives in Italy during the school year with his retired diplomat grandmother. Although I don’t get to see him in person, we keep in touch through text and chat. With the language barrier, it’s honestly a bit difficult to say what I mean, but I’m hoping that with more practice, we’ll be able to communicate with each other without too many obstacles in our path. I know that my love story won’t be anywhere as complicated as the frustrating lovesquare that existed between my parents, but it’s all right because I believe that love can be expressed without words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted Emma's name to be hella complicated because Adrien supposedly has at least five names. Adrien totally picked out Emma's name, she's named Emilie after his mother, Minette means "kitten" and sounds like Marinette, Victoire since in the French OP song there's a lyrics  
> "Pour la **victoire**  
>  J'en fais serment  
> Je me bagarre  
> Éperdument"  
> which basically means he'd swear to fight madly for victory, and of course Nathalie because she's to thank for so much.  
> I won't type any chapters about a final battle or anything, but basically what happens is that Mayura was holding the Ladybug and Black Cat miraculous as Marinette and Adrien tried to plead and reason with Gabriel about finding an alternative way to cure Emilie.  
> I have this whole headcanon that she was in love with Gabriel since high school, but never acted on her feelings and watched idly as he got married and advanced in his career. Desperate to stay by his side, somehow, some way, even if it meant having to watch him be in love with someone else, she later became his secretary. She never made any moves, but would wish he would love her as obsessively as he did Emilie. Then suddenly, Emilie fell into her coma, and although, it isn't how she wanted to go about it, she thought it was her chance. She was wrong though, Gabriel become only more obsessed. So she decided to make a deal with him, in exchange for her help, he would enter a relationship with her until he obtained the miraculous needed to make his wish. She knew there would be a price to pay and was willing to be the sacrifice if it meant he would give her a chance. He agreed and although he never touched her, it wasn't before long that Gabriel went from calling her "Nathalie" to "my dear, Nathalie." It was all she wanted, she was happy, and so she made the wish herself, to revive Emilie, for the person that Gabriel loved so much to be by his side.  
> In the end, the price to wake Adrien's mother was for Nathalie to disappear and for the peacock miraculous to be permanently be embedded in Emilie. Emilie awakens, retaining all of Nathalie's memories and feelings; this in turn leads her to becoming mentally unstable at times. She's also debilitated and permanently in a wheelchair from then on. Gabriel lives with the guilt of getting his wife back at that price and so dedicates the rest of his life to being by her side. He retires and moves to England to be with her at the Graham de Vanily estate, giving up on his company and basically everything, leaving Adrien to pick up the pieces. He has Marinette, the Gorilla, and all of his other friends to help him through it though.  
> During the final battle though, while as civilians, Adrien and Marinette were able to coordinate an attack on Hawkmoth and take away the butterfly miraculous; it, however, falls into the water and is retrieved by the person who then becomes the next Hawkmoth: Farfalla.


	11. Macarons and Roses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You can skip this chapter. It is just an abridged version of my story "More Than Passionfruit Macarons" as I will make references to it in future chapters. Just skim it if possible, especially if you've already read the full version. The full version has more things like LadyNoir Valentine's Day gift exchanges, actual good parent Gabriel Agreste, as well as some Kagaminette/Marigami. I won't make any Future Insight references in it since ain't got time to re-write the whole perspective.

As time passed, Chat Noir and Marinette got closer. Some nights they’d talk a lot, some nights almost not at all, but despite everything Adrien couldn’t help but look forward to when the time came for him to head over to Marinette’s balcony. And Marinette, well, could feel her kitty become one of her best friends even outside of the mask.

“Have you beaten the newest level of _Miraculous Crush_?” Marinette waved her phone.

Chat narrowed her eyes at her. “No, but… speaking of crushes… how’s it going with yours?”

Marinette eyes widened in surprise. “It’s um…” She dropped her hands into her lap. “Nothing’s really changed.” After saying the words, she became frustrated and began wondering why. The entire point of his weekly visit was for him to “eat her feelings” in the form of the passionfruit macaron she failed to give Adrien. Somehow, she had forgotten her objective. “It’s still hard for me to form a coherent sentence around him without stuttering,” a small frown formed on her face as she groaned and pulled her knees to chest, “and Valentine’s day is coming up!!”

“Marinette,” Chat placed his hand on her shoulder. “You can do this, just give it your best shot. Even if you stutter, I’m sure you can get your point across.”

“That’s the thing Chat, it’s not just the stuttering that stops me, I can’t get my words across because I stumble or say things I really don’t even mean! I bet he actually thinks I don’t like him at all! Not everyone can be like you! Professing their love as easily as they breathe—” Marinette realized what she was saying much too late.

“Meowch.” Chat Noir winced, instantly pulling his arms back. “That…actually kind of hurts, Marinette.” He averted his gaze. “I might make it look easy, but it isn’t.” Somehow, he was overwhelmed with frustration to the point he felt the need to leave. “You have no idea…” He bit his bottom lip, barely able to keep himself in control. “Building up the courage to confess to Ladybug, hoping she’ll change her mind rather than reject my feelings… It hurts, it hurts a lot.”

Marinette’s voice was caught in her throat, rendering her speechless. How could she have said something so insensitive? Of course, it would hurt, even all of Paris knew that Ladybug denied having any sort of romantic feelings for Chat Noir. Guilt overwhelmed her being as she reached her had toward her kitty. Her kitty? How could she think of him as hers when she refused to be his; how could she really fit the title of _his Lady_. She knew she had the right to refuse, but had no idea that all this time, he wasn’t just saying what came to mind whenever he confessed to Ladybug. “Wait, I’m so—”

“It’s getting late, so I’m gonna head out.” Chat could feel his muscle tense so much it hurt as he climbed out the window and vaulted away without so much as waiting for her to finish.

* * *

Valentine’s Day has always been a bit overwhelming for Adrien. He would receive dozens of cards and gifts from fans, but always feel a little guilty that his father and Nathalie forbade him from replying to any of them. He settled on taking a picture of the pile and posting it to Instagram in hopes it would suffice as a thank you to everyone all at once.

Adrien let out a sigh as he flopped himself onto his bed, waiting for the Gorilla to ready the car and take him to school. It’d been days since their last Marichat meetup and he honestly felt bad about how he left things with Marinette.

Plagg settled down on the pillow beside him. “You’ve been sighing all week, Kid. You still hung up on what your little girlfriend said?”

“Marinette’s not my girlfriend, Plagg.” Adrien wondered why Plagg would always refer to her as such. “She’s just a friend and… I know she probably didn’t mean what she said, or maybe she did… but at the time, it really hurt and now I don’t know how I can approach her again as Chat Noir.”

This week had somehow been tough on him. He didn’t by any means blame Marinette for it, but he did realize that he had a lot to think about in terms of his relationship with others. He’d confessed to Ladybug all the time, so he did see how it seemed like he said it so frivolously. Just last week he had confessed to her and got turned down, getting told the same thing: that she was in love with someone else.

He had to wonder, did Ladybug having to reject him hurt her too? Lately, he had noticed that her rejections had become more hesitant, like she honestly felt bad about having to repeat herself more than anything. If there was one thing he didn’t want to do, it was to make her feel uncomfortable or pressured to go out with him because of the holiday. And so, he had decided to refrain from professing his love to her today because if she refused, he honestly didn’t think he could take it. Dark Cupid made a mess of last year and there was no need to risk himself somehow becoming akumatized.

“Then just approach her as Adrien.” Plagg mumbled with his mouth full of camembert. “You’ve been a real sourpuss recently, practically avoiding her because of something she did to Chat Noir.”

“How would you know that?” Adrien groaned into his pillow.

“You know that I like to eavesdrop and spy the silly human conversations and interactions that occur while you’re at school. You wouldn’t believe the things I know.” Plagg hovered closer to his chosen, extending his paw so he could pat the blond fluff of hair. “Trust me on this, Kid. She definitely feels bad about what happened between you two.”

“I don’t even know if she even really likes me as Adrien, she’s always stuttering and fumbling her words around like she doesn’t even know what to say to me.” He scrolled through the selfies he’d taken with her as Chat Noir and imported from his stick’s phone. In every single one, he could see himself truly smiling. “I wish we could be just as good friends when I’m not wearing the mask.” He was happy hanging out with her, Marinette was one of the most amazing people he’d ever met, but completely different around Chat Noir. Every Saturday night, he found out something new about her that reminded him how incredible she truly was and whenever he took his leave, he couldn’t help to look forward to what he could possibly discover next. “Plagg… I think I really like Marinette…”

“Oh?” The black cat kwami’s eyes widened in anticipation. “And…?”

“And if I want our friendship to be even a fraction closer to what it is with Chat Noir then I’ve got to be the one to make more of an effort!” It was as if he’d come to some sort of revelation, although not the one his kwami was hoping for. “I want us to be the best of friends both in and out of the mask! She deserves something really special! I think I’ll make her a gift!”

Plagg was internally screaming.

* * *

After having coming back from making the gift, Plagg could see his kitten was in a significantly better mood. The boy was smiling as he grabbed a pen and signed the tag on the gift box, addressing it to his good friend Marinette.

Thinking about her love for pink, he’d used some materials from his father’s atelier to craft her present— a pink ribbon barrette embellished with a deep pink rose charm. He’d chosen a deep pink rose to represent his thankfulness for their friendship. He hoped she’d like it and couldn’t wait to give it to her! He thought back to the selfie he’d taken with her on New Year’s, still hoping for things to bode well between them.

* * *

Things had gotten more than complicated these past few months, but if Marinette was being honest, she didn’t regret it. Chat was great company to Marinette, she could just be true self around him and he... he was funny, sweet, charming, a great listener, and overall a true friend. She knew that Ladybug could trust him with her life, but after getting to know him as Marinette, she just knew that she could trust him with anything.

When the bell rang to indicate the end of the school day, and their classmates began to filter out of the room to take their leave, Adrien began to rummage through his bag for his gift. He’d gotten impatient, just wanting to give his gift to Marinette in peace.

When it was just him, Nino, Alya, and Marinette left, he immediately turned to them with a smile. “Oh Marinette, before you go, I wanted to give you a little Valentine’s Day gift I made!”

“Pour me? For moi? I mean, FOR ME?!” Marinette finally managed to say, her face growing pink. “R-Really?”

“Well, Nino and I have got a Valentine’s Day date to get to so we’ll see you guys later!” Alya winked to her best friend as she took a stand and motioned for Nino to follow her lead.

“Have fun, you dudes!” Nino waved goodbye as his girlfriend drag him out of the classroom.

“Y-Yeah…” Adrien began to rub the back of his neck, unsure why suddenly he’d become nervous at the idea of being alone with her without a mask to hide behind. He knew she made a lot of her own stuff and wondered: would she be critical of how it was put together?

“O-Oh, well. I—I, uh, ah—actually have something for too— for you, for you too!” Marinette somehow managed to say. She placed a hand to her chest to try and even her breathing. From beneath the desk, Tikki unclasped her purse and placed a single yellow macaron in her hand while the rambling went on. “Um, I was thinking that… I wanted to get closer to you. I mean! That I wanted us to get closer. Uh, um, as friends! I wanted us to become closer friends!”

“I was just thinking the same thing!” Adrien smiled in relief as he pulled out a small gift box. “I know I can’t be around all that much, but I was hoping we could start spending more time together as friends, even outside of school.” He held the gift out for her to take.

"Just the two of us!?" Marinette's eyes bugged out as she blurted out the words.

"Yeah, I mean, if you're okay with it..." Adrien didn’t know why but, he was starting to feel like he was going through Marinette withdrawals. Spending less than two hours with her on Saturday no longer felt like enough and so to remedy that so, he thought about what he could do as Adrien. Even if he knew it’d be difficult to make time in his schedule to see his friends, he knew it’d be worth it if he just got to be with her.

“More than okay! I like you! I mean! I’d like to!” She fidgeted. “Um! Here!” She held out her gift as well.

Adrien looked down, expecting to see what seemed like the passionfruit macaron whose flavor he’d become so familiar with. But this time, however, it was shaped like a rose. “Yellow roses... represent friendship…” He whispered out loud.

“Oh… yeah… that was my intention.” Marinette gave a hesitant smile.

“Can I eat it now?” Adrien questioned, unable to back his excitement. Chat Noir may have enjoyed several passionfruit macarons from her before, but this one… this one was for Adrien!

“O-Oh! Yes of course. Ah- go ahead” Marinette chirped as they exchanged presents, the faintest touch sending electricity through her fingertips. “It’s a bit different from a regular passionfruit macaron though… I’d filled it with white chocolate ganache instead.”

From the moment the confection hit his tongue, Adrien realized that the flavor was entirely different. His senses were overtaken by a gentle fruity sweetness unlike any other and when he finally swallowed, his lips curved upward into a dazzling smile. “It’s amazing, Marinette! I've never had anything like it before.” His smile was so bright that Marinette felt blinded, like if she were looking directly at the sun. “Open mine!”

“Oh, um, yes!” Marinette tugged at the ribbon, taking note of the handwritten tag that she knew she’d place in a treasure box the moment she got home. She gazed down into the box and saw a cute, light pink bow with a deep pink rose charm embellishing the center.

“I wanted to give you something to express my gratitude, so I went with the theme of a pink rose.” Adrien tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “If I may…”

“P-Please!” She blushed and nodded before he picked up the barrette and clipped it to the side of her bangs.

“You know… you’re the only friend I’ve ever made gifts for…” Adrien’s fingers lingered in her soft locks. “You’re a special girl to me, Marinette.”

Marinette felt her eyes become wet and her resolve start to crumble under the sheer weight of her feelings for him. She said she wouldn’t, but her voice began to come out all on its own. “I—I… love…”

Adrien didn’t quite hear the rest of what she had to say because suddenly their phones began blaring; it was an akuma alert.

“I have to go—” They'd urgently spoken in unison. “Get to safety!”

* * *

The akuma was thankfully much easier to defeat than Dark Cupid, but that still didn’t mean that Ladybug wasn’t cutting it close with her lucky charm. After managing to comfort the victim, she ran off without so much as a word to Chat Noir while her miraculous ladybugs worked their magic around the city.

Just as Chat went to take his leave, he heard the voice of his friend call out to him.

“Hey, Chat Noir!” Marinette waved as she came running up to him. “I know this isn’t a good time, but I truly wanted to apologize for what I said before.” Marinette gazed at Chat with a forlorn expression, searching for any sign that he could ever forgive her as she gently slid her hand into his.

“I’m okay, Marinette.” Chat gave her a small smile as he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “We’re okay.”

She suddenly looked relieved, her shoulders visibly relaxing. Plagg was right about the entire thing having bothered her, leaving Chat to feel bad about letting it go on for as long as it did.

“Then, do you think you could drop by tonight? Even just for a little bit? I made you a little something for Valentine’s Day.”

Chat’s ring beeped, giving him really no time to really think it over. “Sure.” He answered quickly. “Tonight at ten,” he began to slide his hand away, though let his pinky intertwine with hers for just a moment before truly letting go, "I promise.”

Marinette gave him what he thought to be cutest smile as the sun shone down on her being. The pink rose charm shimmered and danced in the light, standing out against her dark as night-colored hair.

“Thank you...”

* * *

When Chat Noir went to take his leave, he took note of Marinette, who sat down on a nearby bench begin to video chat Alya. “Alya, you wouldn’t believe it! Adrien made me a Valentine’s Day present!” She angled the camera as if somehow trying to emphasize her new hair accessory. “And he said that I’m special to him! I’m so happy—”

At hearing that, Adrien suddenly felt lighter; he wanted her to be happy with him and to make her happy. His ring gave its final warning just in time for him to de-transform in a nearby alleyway. After a few minutes of catching his breath, Adrien peeked into the street and took note of the high-end shopping district he had unintentionally wandered into. The shiny and glittering window displays sparked inspiration in Adrien, and it was then he thought: Well, if Marinette was planning to give Chat Noir a gift, then why not get her one too!

The pink ladybird collection was in full display at Pandora and Adrien couldn’t help but recall Heroes Day when he’d called her an everyday Ladybug. Yeah, she really was like Ladybug; she was brave, beautiful, kind and surprisingly sassy. Marinette had been Multimouse, but as he gazed down at the rose gold and pink heart ladybug charm, he was unsure as to why it seemed to somehow suit Marinette even more than Ladybug herself. Ladybugs were supposed to represent good luck and he thought that perhaps, Marinette could use some in order to get closer to the person she loved. After all, he thought that anyone who managed to be loved by Marinette had to be a good person. As he left the shop, he held the charm to his chest and made a quiet wish… that Marinette would finally be noticed by the person she had a crush on, whoever they may be.

* * *

At 10:00 pm on the dot, Chat Noir landed on Marinette’s balcony as she emerged from the hatch of her bedroom. Her hair was up in a bun and she wore a black tank top and green pajama bottoms decorated with little black cat paw-prints. It left Chat blushing at the thought that she’d worn them just for him because she looked adorable! In contrast though, he noticed that she still wore the pink hairpin that he had gifted her as Adrien.

“Let me help you, Princess.” He offered his hand and she took it with ease, allowing him to help her up; their hands seemed fit together almost perfectly.

“Thank you…” When Marinette met Chat Noir’s gaze, her thoughts somehow ventured back to when he was Mister Bug; his eyes were a gorgeous green… just like… At the thought, Marinette subconsciously began to erase the idea from her mind; there was no way she could be that lucky, right? “F-For coming to see me!” Marinette began to catch herself stuttering. “I w-was honestly scared that y-you would never…” Her lips began to quiver at the thought of how lonely it would be without him around. “I t-thought that you would never want to see me again.” Without her knowing, tears had welled up in her eyes, leaving her unable to see clearly. That’s when she finally came to realize how important he was to her— not just to Ladybug, but to her as to plain ol’ Marinette!

At the sight of her hurt expression, Adrien began to feel his own heart sink into his stomach. “That couldn’t be further from the truth, Princess. To me, you’re—” Chat murmured, placing his palm on her cheek; the movement seemed to come naturally. Her face grew warm to his touch, the faintest bit of pink blooming across her freckled face. As he wiped away the tears that threatened to fall, he found the words he’d said to her as Adrien spilling from his mouth. “You’re a special girl to me, Marinette.”

“Chat…” Her sniffling subsided as he watched her eyes grow wider. “I—” Hearing that phrase for a second time took Marinette’s breath away. She looked at him, really looked at him, trying to rationalize what she was feeling. When Adrien had told her that, her heart had stopped and she felt herself get weak, but when Chat said it, her heart was beating so painfully strong in her chest.

“Princess?” Chat’s hand lowered from her face to her shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze.

Clumsily, she dropped her gaze and pulled away from his touch, taking a seat on the nearby lawn chair. “I have a gift for you!” She’d changed the subject, lifting up a small pink pastry box. She had to find a way to calm herself down!

The black cat hero’s ears perked up, excited about the fact that a girl he admired so much had made something for Chat Noir. Chat took a seat beside her, looking like a curious little kitty. When she handed him the box, he sniffed the air slightly, trying to take a guess as to what was inside. There was no scent of passionfruit, but instead, an array of fragrances mixing together, with the most distinct one being… “Chocolate?” He lifted the lid, his eyes widening at the contents. Inside were three types of macarons whose designs warmed Adrien’s heart.

“Yup!” Marinette let out a small laugh, somewhat in awe at how catlike he really could be. “After all, what would Valentine’s Day be without chocolate, Chaton?”

“Can I eat them now?” He gasped as he lifted up the red one decorated like a Ladybug.

“Sure!” Marinette grinned. “That one is obviously called Ladybug. It’s cherry, blackberry, and blueberry with chocolate chips.”

Chat popped it into his mouth, the flavor a bit tart, but stimulating to his senses. The hints of the dark chocolate chips against the cherry along with the blue and black berries intertwined in a delicate balance. “Hmm!! It’s like the ice cream I get at Andre’s!”

“That macaron could’ve been made with salt instead of sugar and you’d still say you loved it because it was Ladybug!” Marinette teased, thinking back to her multiple failed test batches.

“Won’t deny it!” Chat laughed as he picked up the black cat shaped macaron next. This one tasted refreshing, but familiar. “Mint chocolate…” He exhaled a cool breath.

“Yup! And onto the finale!” Marinette cheered as she lifted a familiar yellow rose-shaped macaron to his mouth. It looked just like the one Marinette gave Adrien, except instead of a white chocolate filling, it had dark chocolate. He parted his lips slightly as she pressed for him to eat it.

As soon as he took a bite, his eyes widened in surprise. “This is choco-banana…?”

“Yup! I call it Banana Noir!” A huge smile bloomed forth upon Marinette’s face and Adrien felt his heart squeeze as she began to laugh.

Embarrassed at that, he began to cough a little. “Laugh it up all you want, but I had to keep my identity a secret, Multimouse!”

“I know, I know, but the thought of it was just all too _appeeling_!” The entire thing brought back some fun memories. “But I’m glad, it really served as great inspiration for this present!”

The joyful laughter from her lips placed him at ease. Yeah, laughing and smiling definitely suited her so much more than tears; it’s like his world was illuminated by her very presence and if she was happy, so was he.

“Well, then I’m glad to have been of service, My La- Purrincess.” Chat didn’t know why he almost slipped up like that. My Lady just sounded better; at least, that’s what he told himself. He only ever imagined what it would be like to spend private moments like these with his Lady. Ladybug was out of his reach, but Marinette... Marinette was right here...

Marinette had felt herself get tense, wondering if she was imagining Chat Noir almost calling her _My Lady_. “Uh, hm...” She noised before shyly turned her face away, somewhat fiddling with the pink ribbon in her hair.

Trying to move on from the awkward slip up, Chat pointed to the ribbon. “H-Hey, that hairpin’s new right?” He spoke as if he didn’t know a thing. “I’ve never seen you wear that before.”

Marinette’s cheeks flushed pink and she felt her entire face get hot. “Y-Yeah! I got it just today actually.” She didn’t know why, but for some reason, she didn’t want to disclose the fact that it was from her crush. She didn’t want to tell him about the progress she’d made or what had happened between them. She knew she should’ve… and maybe added that she was finally able to give him a macaron, but she really just couldn’t bring herself to do it! “It was a gift from a good friend so… I’m going to treasure it.”

“Oh?” Adrien felt flattered that she felt so strongly, and thought that if that was her reaction to Adrien, then surely, she’d like Chat’s gift as well, right? “Well, I actually have a present for you too!” An affectionate smile emerged as he opened up his weapon’s storage. “You know, I’ve always wanted to gift My Lady with more than just roses, but my kwami always says that Ladybug wouldn’t accept, let alone wear it if I got her jewelry.” His enthusiasm radiated through his smile like rays of light, the stars in the clouded sky paling in comparison. “But he never said I couldn’t get you anything like that!” It was his first time going out to buy a gift for a friend in person and he had so much fun doing so.

Marinette blanched, biting her bottom lip tensely as her partner held out the small jewelry box. Plagg! The kwami had tricked them! Tricked them both! Chat Noir was unknowingly giving jewelry to Ladybug and Marinette was going to be the one wearing it! But while Ladybug could make endless excuses not to accept, Marinette couldn’t. Marinette would have no reason to deny a gift from Chat Noir and knowing how sensitive he could be, refusing could just lead to a whole new set of awkward misunderstandings. The pristine white jewelry box shimmered under her fairy lights and curiosity got the better of her. Just what could be inside? She told herself that curiosity killed the cat and internally cursed the little god of destruction, just imagining Plagg’s mischievous cackle as she shakily took the box in her hands. “S-Should I open it now?” Her heart was in complete disarray, making her uncertain as to if she was nervous, excited, or maybe even touched?

“Oh! Please do!” Chat hovered closely, wanting to gauge her reaction.

Wincing slightly, she lifted the top, requiring some courage to actually look at the box’s contents. “Oh, wow… it’s beautiful…” Marinette was breath taken for a moment before catching herself. “A ladybug, really?” She raised an eyebrow; the next time she saw Plagg, he’d be getting an earful from her and Tikki.

Chat blushed sheepishly. “Yeah… well, I didn’t think you’d want a cat to bring you a mouse and we both know I can hardly see anything else, but… I truly did pick this out for you.” He gathered the confidence to look straight into her bluebell eyes. “After having spent so much time with you, I’ve come to realize that you and Ladybug are more alike than I ever thought; you’re like an everyday Ladybug!” He meant it as the greatest of compliments as he took the delicate rose gold chain in his hands and gently secured the clasp around her neck. “I wanted this to serve as a good luck charm, a reminder that I’ll support you and your efforts in love. You’re an amazing person, even without a mask, and you deserve to be happy so, I hope that someday, hopefully someday very soon, that boy you like so much will see that too.”

Marinette subconsciously grazed the ladybug charm with her fingertips, feeling the small shape of the heart on its back. The necklace was dainty and light, but Chat’s forearms resting against her shoulders felt heavy. He was wishing her happiness as a civilian despite being so in love with her as a heroine... if he only knew how much it hurt.

She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a secure embrace before pecking his cheek. “Thank you, I…” It was suddenly like she was filled with desire, but for what exactly, she wasn’t sure. They gazed into each other’s familiar-seeming eyes, feeling as though they were truly looking at their beloved as they unconsciously leaned in with rose tinged cheeks.

Suddenly, lighting flashed through the sky and thunder began to roar. The sounds echoed throughout the night sky, an indication of an upcoming storm— one in the sky and perhaps one in their hearts.

“Uh… oh… I’d better go.” Chat’s voice trailed off as he snapped out of his daze. For a moment there, he saw Marinette’s lips as Ladybug’s...

Marinette grinned as she dropped her arms to her sides. “Yeah, wouldn’t want a certain black cat to get drenched in the rain, now would we?”

“What about you?” He whispered. Droplets of rain descended from the sky, splashing against their hot cheeks with wind to cool them. “You’ll head back inside, right?” He took note of a nearby black umbrella and realized that it was the one he’d given her on the first day of school. Some nostalgia hit as he grasped onto it. As he opened it up, he was surprised that she’d kept it the whole time; it was a bit faulty, but he held onto it because it was his mother’s.

“Um…” Her cheeks flushed red again. “I’m actually pretty fond of the rain…” She gently took the base in her hand and unluckily felt the canopy begin to close around her.

“Woah! Watch out!” Chat grabbed the umbrella just in time, somehow having a strange sense of déjà vu as he secured it open. “You gotta be careful, this thing can be a bit tricky.”

As he lowered his arms, his hand brushed against hers, the space between them almost electrifying. A clap of thunder and strike of lighting illuminated the night sky just long enough for them to see each other clearly.

“Yeah...” Marinette shifted her gaze, her heart pounding in her ears at the similarities between her kitty and her crush. She told herself that what she was feeling couldn’t be love, but knew she was lying to herself. “Please…” In that moment, she knew she felt more than just friendship between them. In that moment, she admitted that her heart didn’t belong to just Adrien. And only in that moment, would she confess she felt a glimmer of romantic love for Chat Noir. But she would not act on it, not now. “Get home safe.”

“Good night, Marinette,” Chat gave her cheek a fleeting peck before leaping onto the railing, “and thank you.” With that he was gone from her sight.

Chat Noir knew he wouldn’t make it home in time to beat the worst of the storm and so sat in the shadows of a distant rooftop; he thought he’d stay and wait until Marinette went inside.

Looking back to Marinette’s balcony, he could see that she really did like the rain enough to stand outside in it awhile longer. A few loose locks fluttered in the wind beautifully, leaving him to feel like doing nothing more but admire her from afar.

He opened up the box of macarons and placed another yellow rose in his mouth, quietly chuckling at its name. By next week, he’d probably back to “eating her feelings,” but just for tonight, Chat Noir couldn’t help but think that there was something sweeter shared between them… something that he liked even more than passionfruit macarons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the charm that Chat Noir picked out and placed on a necklace:


	12. A Secret He Shared

Despite nearly a year having passed, Marinette still found herself wondering, dreaming of what her future with Chat Noir would hold. Unable to forget the knowledge she’d obtained of three wonderful children: Emma, Hugo, and Louis, a pet hamster, her dream job of becoming a fashion designer, and the promise of a warm, loving home… she couldn’t help but feel the temptation at ensured happiness being within her grasp. A part of her felt like it would be like taking the easy way out, despite it still being a huge risk. However, the thought of leaving Chat Noir alone… it hurt her. A life without him… she didn’t want that… but would saving him from his loneliness also bring her true love?

Time changes a lot of things, including her relationship with Adrien— although, she still tries and fails to confess her feelings on an almost daily basis. Marinette knew that her obsession with him was beginning to fade. However, in its place, a truly wonderful friendship began to blossom. She’d stuttered around him less and less and found chances for them to be alone together more often than not. Some nights they’d even challenge each other to online games while chatting about their day!

Other nights, however, she would find herself yearning for a visit from a certain black cat who, on more than one occasion, would drop by to snack on unsold baked goods while jokingly calling it a “secret late night rendezvous.” Saturday nights, when uninterrupted by akumas, was deemed “Marichat” time from 10:00 pm to midnight. It seemed that Chat Noir was also a fan of passionfruit macarons and so would eat the one she’d failed to gift to Adrien on a weekly basis. She only hoped that Adrien’s reaction to the taste could possess even half Chat Noir’s enthusiasm. They’d talk face to face and game side by side, endless banter and laughter shared between them.

With certainty, she knew that he had become her best friend even without the mask. However, it wasn’t until Chat Noir had made mention of how he felt that he was finally making sway of Ladybug’s feelings that she realized it was the truth.

She reminded herself that curiosity killed the cat, but couldn’t help but begin to ask questions.

“What makes you say that, Chat?”

“Hmm, I don’t think even she’s noticed, but she’s been turning me down less and less. She’s even actually accepted the past dozen or so roses I’ve given her!”

Rather than allowing those gorgeous roses he’d offer her wilt into the unknown, she’d accept them graciously and made a hobby of pressing them into an album.

Marinette’s mouth felt dry making her swallow hard and struggle to speak. He was right, she hadn’t rejected his advances as of late and would even find herself flirting back as if it were somehow completely natural to do so. “Maybe she just likes how they match her costume.” Even she found that commented response to be stupid. “I mean… what makes you so sure that she’s the one anyway?”

With a sympathetic glance, Chat Noir smiled at her softly. “I just know that we’re soulmates.” As he whispered this, he couldn’t help but wish that he could be with his lady as easily as he could be with Marinette.

“S-Soulmates!” She could feel her cheeks getting red, finding the word all too romantic. “That’s a little too extreme, isn’t it? I mean, it’s not like you know what the future holds…”

“Hm, but I do actually.” A cheshire grin forming on his face. “When My Lady and I finally get together, it’ll be simply the best!” The happy expression widened. “I’ll have you know for a fact that our kittens will be the cutest!”

Suddenly, Marinette found herself laughing out loud. “Kittens, huh?”

“Yup! Three of them! A hamster too!” Chat Noir laughed too. After their laughter subsided, Chat found himself wanting to confide in someone, wanting to confide in her. “Marinette,” he bit his lip nervously, “could I ask you to keep a secret?”

“Y-Yeah…?” She found herself agreeing. “W-What kind of secret?”

A small sigh, one neither sad or dreamy, escaped the black cat hero’s lips. He rested the side of his face against his arms as he looked to her. “I know this sounds crazy, and you can stop me if you don’t want to hear this sappy stuff, but I’ve seen the future… one where Ladybug and I are together.” His lips quivered as he spoke. “About a year ago, an akuma transported me well over a decade into the future and I met an adult Ladybug and our future kids. And I… I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since then.” He motioned toward her sketchbook. “May I?”

Marinette’s eyes widened and she found herself unable to speak, taking every bit of courage to simply nod.

“It was amazing, Marinette, not just the city, but them! Ladybug, I couldn’t recognize her with short hair and she hid her face with sunglasses to stop me from finding out who she was, but she was beautiful!” Chat Noir opened up to a random page and began to pencil sketch.

“O-Oh…” Marinette was surprised at how he began to draw; he was by no means a museum-worthy artist, but he was putting real passion into it. Although, all she could think about was how her hair would be cut shorter than her mom’s! The final touch was a ladybug pendant he drew around her neck… the very same one that his future self had gifted her with and that she hid at the bottom of the trunk in which she kept Adrien’s future birthday presents. “S-She’s pretty stylish.” She forced herself to comment.

“I think she’s a fashion designer,” he gave an encouraging smile, “like how you want to be right? Who knows, maybe in the future you two even work together!”

“Y-Yeah, m-maybe!” Marinette chirped as she took note of him beginning on a new sketch, one of a girl wearing a cat ear headband made of pearls. “Who’s that?”

“She’s called Emma.” Chat Noir whispered fondly.

“Ou-Your! Your daughter?” Biting the inside of her cheek, she quickly corrected herself.

“Yeah… she’s definitely a Little Purrincess!” Chat knew he wasn’t doing his daughter’s cuteness justice, but he had to continue. “She’s the eldest… Real bright, sweet, maybe a bit overbearing, but responsible and cute. She told me she’s class president and even made a club that helps out the local animal shelter! Amazing for a grade-school kid, right?”

“I bet she takes after you, Kitty.” Unknowingly, a smile was beginning to form on her face.

“Yeah, she looks a lot like me and my mom…” Adrien found himself remember when he first laid eyes on her, her big green eyes that seemed so similar to his and the most reassuring smile gracing her little mouth.

The tiniest huff escaped Marinette’s lips. “Does she make cat puns like you too?”

“You bet! In fact, they all do!” Adrien found himself grinning so hard at the memory. “There are twins too! Let’s call them Hue and Lou.” He sketched them out, one of them looking so much like she did when she was a child.

“Ah, fraternal twins then?” The boys didn’t look quite identical to Marinette.

“Yeah, they seemed to be pretty opposite of each other. Hue kind of reminded me of my kwami, Plagg, he was pretty straightforward, a bit mischievous, and I’m pretty sure I’d see him sneaking extra cheese snacks whenever he thought I wasn’t looking.”

“Oh no, how will they ever have enough cheese?”

“Apparently, there’s a separate refrigerator for that!”

“Of course, there is.”

Struggling to draw Lou’s glasses he held the pencil out to Marinette. “Do you think you could draw some glasses on this boy, Lou, I can’t get that square shape just right.”

“Pff, okay, Kitty.” Without hesitation she took the pencil and began to draw out what she thought would be a cute pair of glasses on the freckled child.

Grinning, he began to tell her about one of his sons. “He’s actually the older twin and seems like a scaredy-cat, always trailing behind his siblings, but it turns out he’s just shy! It was really cute actually— how he’d be almost whispering whenever he spoke to me in Chinese.”

“Chinese? Seriously? They know how to speak it?” Marinette spoke out of pure surprise. “I’m half Chinese and was hardly able to communicate with my uncle when he came over!” She groaned a little, wishing her mother had taught her growing up. Lately, she’d watch Chinese dramas with her mother using subtitles, but it still wasn’t enough.

Chat began to laugh. “I’m actually taking Chinese lessons myself; if you have the time, I could teach you whatever I learned and we could be conversation partners!”

“I might just take you up on that offer.” Marinette found herself agreeing. “I mean— if you have the time.”

"I always have time for you, Princess.”

She pursed her lips at how smooth he was before getting back to the drawing. “You said he takes after Ladybug, right?” She began to decorate the side of the frames with small polka dots. “Spots over pawprints then!”

“Wow, yeah, actually— his glasses looked just like those!” He gasped.

Pausing for just a moment, Marinette gripped the pencil a little tighter. She probably would design her own children’s clothing and accessories. Who was she kidding, of course she would! “Ha… ha… ou— your— Your kids aren’t very subtle, are they?”

“Let’s just hope they don’t announce to their class that their parents are superheroes rather than a normal-sounding couple who work in the fashion industry or something.”

Marinette began to laugh at this before suddenly realizing he was implying about their careers. Her eyes scanned his figure, blond hair, green eyes… those measurements, he couldn’t be… there was no way she was that lucky, right? “Um, did you find out what your day job is when you become an adult? Would… would you happen to also be into fashion…?”

Truthfully, Adrien knew that the most realistic way for him to actually leave the house soon after turning eighteen was for him to get married and dip into his trust fund. Especially since, after having done the math, Emma would probably be born during their first year of marriage. If he was being honest, he’d prefer to just be a house-husband who was around to watch his kids grow up.

Chat saw that Marinette was waiting for his response and jokingly flipped his hair. “What, Princess? You don’t think I have what it takes to be a model to my lovely lady’s designs?” With a breakdance move, he suddenly made a dramatic pose, one that was too ridiculous to ever be used in a magazine.

Rolling her eyes, Marinette dropped the sketchbook and booped his nose. “Not with that kind of over-the-top cattitude.”

“Meowch, I’ll have you know that—”

Marinette leaned in with a grin. “What? You’ve nailed your catwalk?”

“Princess, please…” Chat Noir cupped her face in between his hands, making her suddenly aware of how close they actually were. The shape of his eyes behind the night vision lens, the subtle loss of baby fat around his cheeks, she was starting to take notice of the changes in his face. He was maturing, at least appearance wise, turning into one stupidly handsome man. “Don’t take the puns right out of my mouth!” He then began to squish her cheeks together and laugh at the funny face.

Marinette scrunched her face up further, wondering how could this boy possibly be put in the running against Adrien in her heart. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach and although they were the beautiful kind, she still tried to crush them like she did akumas.

Although knowing she shouldn’t, she continued to ask questions and listen to Chat speak of the few hours he’d spent with her future self and their children. Bunnyx hadn’t come around to stop them, so she was sure it’d be fine. After all, the secret he’d shared only made her want to embrace their future all the more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicating this chapter to Kkmonkey, AnimeDeviant022, mostlovedgirl, X_rayLady, P_Artsypants, and Banimondala for being such dedicated readers of this fic (at least that I've noticed from the comments section). Thanks you guys and thank you to everyone else as well!


	13. Feeling Unfaithful to First Love

After an uneventful patrol, the two heroes decided to shoot the breeze and enjoy the goodies they’d received from the neighborhood with an impromptu Autumn picnic. Chat Noir had picked a quiet building rooftop on which they could relax under the light pink sky.

Ladybug, however, was distracted by the new ad featuring her beloved, good friend, Adrien. The Gabriel Agreste brand took a new approach as of late and she could see that the styles Adrien wore began to transition into that of a more mature look with its neutral color schemes. It was as if the image of the vibrant sunshine angel that was Adrien was beginning to descend from the sky and down to earth to join the rest of the other mortals. Yet, because of this, Marinette began to feel as though he’d fallen within reach; the two were closer than ever.

Free from civilian obligations, today included one of those rare moments in which Adrien was able to simply spend time with his lady. They read their fan letters while snacking and chatted about anything and everything, but after a while, he heard a small yawn escape her lips.

On a few occasions, Ladybug had made mention of how busy she was as a civilian and so he knew that when she yawned, she was truly tired. On even rarer occasions, she would break under the pressure of having become the guardian of the miraculous. While he couldn’t lift the burden off her shoulders, he could offer his for her to cry on.

“Have you been stressed out lately?” Concern was evident in his voice.

Ladybug snapped out of her thoughts and turned back to him. “I’ll admit, I’ve been a bit overwhelmed as of late.” Sometimes, Marinette would drop hints as to how much of a hot mess she thought she was in order to test to see how much Chat Noir could truly love her civilian self. “Outside of the mask, I can be so anxiety-ridden— no miraculous glamour to hide how much of a klutz I am.” Then again, as she’d grew older, she could admit she’d gotten a better handle of managing her time. “There’s a whole list of projects with deadlines I’d been working on.”

“Oh, I wish I could help…” She could swear his ears drooped slightly, like a stray she couldn’t take home with her. “Do you need to leave? Go catch up with your up with your—?”

Ladybug reached out and patted his fluffy hair. “Are you trying to get rid of me, Chaton? Is there another girl out there you’re needing to run off to?”

“N-Not at all!” The area beneath his black mask flushed red-tinged in contrast. “I just thought might want to catch up on your beauty slee—”

Gently, she then began to trail her finger down the side of his cheek. At the sound of his purr, she booped him on the nose. “Well, you’re in luck because I’ve actually caught up with my civilian duties and wanted to just sit back and relax with my Kitty.” Another yawn, though more theatrical, escaped her lips.

Falling backward onto the picnic blanket, Chat Noir began to pat the space beside him. “Then sounds like you’re in need of a catnap.” Unable to gauge the look in her eyes, he decided to offer so words of reassurance. “D-Don’t worry, I won’t try anything while you sleep. Cat’s hon—”

A truly amused laugh escaped Ladybug’s lips as intertwined her fingers with his. “But who said I won’t?” Mischievously, she dove forward to settle herself beside him, resting her head against his chest.

“M-My Lady!” He gasped, cheeks burning red. “W-What are you—?”

Shifting around slightly, she pulled his arm closer to wrap it around her shoulder. “Hush up before I change my mind, Kitty.” With another stifled yawn, she’d mumbled her command and closed her eyes. She released his hand and cuddled closer, pretending to be completely oblivious to her flirting. While in his arms, she felt safe and secure, refusing to feel guilty as to how she could so easily get used to his warmth.

Knowing that he promised not to take advantage of her while she slept, Chat told himself to close his eyes. However, at the sight of the sleeping Ladybug, he was unable to look away. She was so light and tiny compared to him. They were both sixteen, almost seventeen, but it seemed like only he’d grown in comparison. At about almost 6 ft, he towered over her with his height and admittedly gotten physically larger and stronger; strong enough, he hoped, to protect her and their future.

Using his free hand, he twirled a stray lock of her dark-as-night colored hair before tucking it behind her ear. Under the light of the setting sun, she seemed evermore radiant and beautiful. His heart felt like it was pounding out of his chest to the point that he thought she’d wake. She turned in her sleep so that she was no longer facing him, but she did huddle herself closer as if searching for warmth. From behind, with her dark twin tails, she looked so similar to Marinette and for a moment, he almost wished she was; he felt unfaithful at the thought. Hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her firmly as if telling himself not to let go. Chat Noir knew his future was with Ladybug, that he’d sworn his heart to her, so why was he beginning to having to have doubts about something he’d been so sure on?

Adrien had to admit that he had begun to feel his heart waver. He was enjoying the time he spent with Marinette both in and out of the mask more than he should. She was a good friend, too good, and so he couldn’t find the strength in himself to let her go. She always had his back, was always there whenever he needed her most, and always had the kindest smile to offer him. Marinette was the safe haven on his darkest days, always there to pick him up when he was down. To distance himself: place a wall to separate them would simply be impossible because he knew that ever since they’d met, he’d been trying to break down any barriers between them.

 _Have patience_ , that’s what his future lady asked of him, but never did he think it’d be this hard.

“My Lady…” Chat Noir whispered to the sleeping beauty as he buried his face into the crook of her nape. “I love you.”

Ladybug had been awake for quite some time, having chosen to keep her breathing even in order to simply enjoy the silence between them. Her voice remained trapped in her throat as he secured his grip on her waist. He held her close, as if she were a precious treasure. She could feel his fear; he was afraid to let go and if she were to tell the truth, she was too.

“Always, I will choose to love you…” Chat Noir’s words sounded more like a prayer or vow to himself rather than confession to her.

First love is something special, something people held dear, something that is so rarely was requited. Marinette’s first love was Adrien, but he said that he was in love with someone else. Her gaze shifted down to Chat Noir’s clawed hands; he so easily possessed the ability to destroy the world, destroy her… and yet, he did everything in his power to protect her from harm.

No more denial, no more hesitation, and no more pretending to be oblivious; she knew that she’d fallen for her partner, but not quite to what extent. However, if he was truly to be her destiny, then she decided that couldn’t live with regret or the guilt of only having half her heart to give.

Gazing out into the endless City of Lights, Ladybug knew it’d taken her far too long to find the resolve she needed to embrace her new love.

Sitting up slowly, she gazed down at him with eyes swirling with a mix of sympathy and affection. She’d pretended to be asleep, so he thought she hadn’t heard what he said. Placing her hands at either side of his head, she began to cradle his face. She then leaned forward and looked straight into his eyes, a part of her tempted to get even closer so that there could be no space between them. “Chat Noir, I’m going to confess to the boy I love.”

Chat Noir remained silent, trying to process her words, but not quite knowing how to respond.

“If he… if he rejects me then…” Her lips quivered.

“My Lady…” He couldn’t find it in himself to wish her luck, wanting to be the only man to make her happy, but then he realized… if the person she loved all this time was truly his civilian self, Adrien Agreste, then it would mean she’d fallen for him completely.

Tears rimmed Marinette’s eyes. “If he rejects me then please, give me some time to heal… because as it is now, I don’t want to offer you my heart in pieces.”

“Oh Bugaboo,” he ran his fingers through her hair, “I’ll accept whatever parts of yourself you're willing to offer with open arms.” With hope in his heart that what he knew was true, he placed a kiss to the side of her face, her hair acting as a barrier between his lips and her cheek. "I swear that my love for you can only grow."

Ladybug smiled through the tears, knowing she now felt the same way. As long as they had each other then they'd surely be all right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, that was a little angsty, but we got some kinda not really platonic cuddling.  
> TBH, I'm so sure that Marinette sits in Chat's lap during Marichat time!


	14. Unbearable Waiting

Flashforward more months, more seasons, and more failed attempts at confessing. Truly, in Marinette’s case, proclaiming to confess in order to move forward was easier said than done. Approaching their final semester of lycée, even she began to worry that she was wasting the fleeting years of her adolescence. Most of her classmates were already in relationships and her best friends Nino and Alya recently were discussing plans about sharing an apartment while attending university. While she was ecstatic for the couple, she also couldn’t help but feel envious, only having herself to blame for the feelings of being left behind. Sure, she could’ve gotten herself a boyfriend, but the only one she had wanted was Adrien Agreste.

Some of Marinette’s friends wondered how she could manage to still love him and how he could remain so damn oblivious, but were glad that the two had become good enough friends to no longer require the help of others to enact some sort of impossibly convoluted plan to get them alone together. Marinette had, over time, taken down the images she’d collected of Adrien from her walls and was able to replaced them with shots of them just being together, hanging out as friends. She still kept the old photos and added to her collection of them in an album, but the motion had become few and far between. More recently though, shots of her and Chat Noir during Marichat time flooded her photo reel.

Despite the progress they’d made as friends, she found herself still wanting more, wanting what everyone else had. Sure, it was nice going out with Adrien, magical even, but the truth that they weren’t dating, that he was still in love with someone else, hurt. She’d gotten tired of waiting, and that’s why she told herself before the end of the year, she’d have to decide who the pursue. To have one’s love continue going unrequited almost seemed cruel. It was her love story to write and she was done sitting back waiting for the pages to turn on their own. After all, when sparks fly it would only be a matter of time before it lit a fire that led to tragedy. It wasn’t fair to be surrounded with the opportunity to be happy and not be able to grasp onto it.

Her fingers grazed the lucky charm her Chat Noir gifted her with, a pink ladybird pendant that contained his wish for her luck in love. Chat Noir was unaware that he was wishing for her happiness, for the boy she loved so much to realize how amazing she was even without a mask… Relieved was she that Chat Noir never pushed Ladybug or inquired further about her progress, though she wasn’t sure if it as for her peace of mind or his. Despite there being promises of forever, time was only being wasted and she didn’t want his faith in her to fade.

* * *

Despite Ladybug’s declaration, there seemed to be no further progress spoken about that so-called planned love confession and a part of Chat Noir thought it might just be better to forget she ever said it and simply enjoy what they had. A piece of her heart already belonged to him and while he told himself that it should be enough, he couldn’t help but want more of her. Time waits for no one, yet here he was still waiting for his lady. The desire to hold her close was admittedly sometimes too much for him to bear. And from time to time, Chat Noir began to doubt if it was truly Adrien that Ladybug was in love with.

_“Adrien, don’t ever feel that you were not loved, not as yourself, or as Chat Noir.”_

Those words he so desperately clung to was what kept him going when it was hard to take. He reminded himself to have patience, to faithfully listen to the words his future lady commanded. As far as he knew, no one had come forward to seriously confess to his civilian self, but by the way she spoke, Ladybug had to be someone close by.

After wrapping his treasured blue scarf around his neck, a chilly sigh escaped Adrien’s lips as he looked out the window of his vast room. He wondered if there was anyone their age that struggled with love like this. While everyone else in school was enjoying the natural motions of being in a normal teenage couple, he had chosen to remain single and save himself for Ladybug. Three years, it’d taken nearly three whole years to make the progress that he had. He nuzzled his cheek into the soft fabric, wishing he could feel the warmth of her true affections through the yarn.

Sure, he could’ve thrown his plans out the window and gotten with Kagami; it would’ve pleased their parents and strengthen their business alliance, but he knew that wouldn’t be fair to himself or her. After she’d made her declaration of love to him, he humored her with a few dates on the condition that if he felt nothing but friendship toward her, that she moves on. They both made good on their promise and chosen to remain friends who had far too much in common to ever keep the other guessing for long. After having graduated lycée, Kagami moved back to Japan to join the nation’s Olympic fencing team and from what Adrien could see from what little she’d posted on social media, she was content with her life.

Despite being best friends, he could feel him and Nino growing apart with Nino choosing to be with Alya more often than not. The two were already making plans to move in together, a part of him almost envious at the thought of sharing a space with someone’s most beloved.

His thoughts then drifted to that of Marinette; at first, they’d begun to do things together more often to avoid third wheeling, but lately, they’d began doing things together as friends with surprisingly similar interests. And as Chat Noir, he’d find himself on her balcony on a near weekly basis, not just for free pastries, but to encourage her to confess to her own crush.

He recalled how so many had fallen for Marinette’s down-to-earth charms and taken the opportunity to try and ask her out only to be politely turned down. She never took the opportunity to move on from whoever it was she was after, but even after all this time, she never outright said the name of the boy who was she had been pinning after.

More recently, he began to doubt it was actually Luka that was failing to return her affections. Similar to Kagami, at eighteen, Luka had decided to join Jagged Stone on tour in order to immerse himself in his passions. Even with the distance placed between Marinette and Luka, she didn’t seem the least bit upset to see him go on to pursue his career in music. In fact, she seemed happy, if not relieved at his decision.

Another frost-bitten sigh escaped his lips as he gazed out into the distance, the City of Lights twinkling like sparks he knew would fly far too frequently between him and Marinette. Plagg never failed to tease him by calling Marinette his girlfriend, and in some ways, she almost was. She’d become the first person he’d go to for just about anything, whether it be about advice or for simple company. She was always around, always stood by his side, and always managed to grace him with a dazzling smile. Deep down, a part of him wondered if he began to resent her for making him feel the way she did. He already had enough trouble obsessing over one girl and on more than one occasion his dirty dreams would cruelly tease at the possibility that the everyday Ladybug and his lady could be one in the same. 

Knowing that he couldn’t be that lucky, seeing as how he saw Marinette to have been Multimouse, he still couldn’t help but wish they were one in the same to solve all of his problems. He was feeling his heart become split in two; he was dueling with himself in order not to admit his heart was wavering. Just like with his lady, he couldn’t bear the thought of being apart from his princess as either Chat Noir or Adrien.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter dedicated to fallingoceans and Glober, a thank you to you and everybody else for reading!


	15. Love Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Long-Awaited Love Confession Chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You want the love confession?! FINE, take it!  
> 

It was the start of Christmas break and yet they still decided to grab some ice cream from Andre’s. Adrien, who had received the slightest bit more freedom in the form of a free Saturday, decided to walk her home after having caught a movie at the theater.

“Marinette?” Adrien whispered his good friend’s name out of concern.

She appeared to be staring out into the Seine, her peach, mint, and banana ice cream only half eaten. Everything was beginning to melt along with both the triangle-shaped chocolates starting to fall lopsided.

Gently, he grasped her wrist and licked her inner palm of the melted ice cream like how a kitten lapped milk. “Sweet…” He murmured; his breath was so hot in contrast to her cooled, saccharine skin.

With half lidded eyes, he gazed down at her, taking in her sudden change in appearance. She seemed to look a bit more dressed up today, opting to wear a long, flowery skirt and stylish coat. Adrien could count the amount of times he saw Marinette with her hair down on one hand, a part of him thankful. Whenever she wore down, he couldn’t help be awestruck; he thought someone would have to be blind to not notice how much more beautiful she'd gotten over the years. Today, her hair flowed long and freely, like a dark veil of shining starlight. Secured within her locks was the handmade pink rose hairpin that he, as Adrien, had gifted her with to show how thankful he was that she was his friend. Around her neck, shimmering in the light, was the pink ladybird pendant he’d given her as Chat Noir; it was a lucky charm that’d he’d chosen to imbue with the wish that the person she loved realize how amazing she was.

“Marinette, your ice cream is melting.” He pointed out before taking a large bite of her ice cream and crunching on one of the dark chocolate toppings.

The sudden intimate contact withdrew Marinette from her thoughts. Her cheeks were burning red as he let go of her, his eyes showed how innocently oblivious he was to his actions. “Oh!” Marinette looked down at her nearly melted ice cream and then away to shove the remainder of what she could into her mouth. The brain-freeze made her shiver before she found the resolve to look directly at him. “Adrien,” she turned to face him after rubbing her lips, “there was something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Yeah? What is it?” Adrien swallowed the rest of his dessert and met her gaze. Seriousness swirled in her eyes, the usually bright sky-blue color now almost a stormy grey. “Is something wrong, Marinette?”

“Well, I’m not sure… I’m hoping not.” Biting her lip, she told herself not to be discouraged or run away. She could feel Tikki nudging her from inside her purse along with the string of beads, the lucky charm Adrien had once given her, giving her courage. “Adrien, do you believe in things like soulmates or destiny?”

A bit taken aback by the sudden question, he stopped in his tracks and looked toward the setting sun. “Honestly, at first, I never thought about things like that, but something happened awhile back that made me think there could be.” Subconsciously touching the blue scarf around his neck, his mind flashed an image of Emma, Hugo, and Louis’ smiling faces in the arms of a future Ladybug. “Actually, I know there is.”

Marinette leaned over the bridge railing, looking far off into the distance and toward the Eiffel Tower. With plans to meet for patrol in an hour, a part of her wondered if Chat Noir was already there. He was always early, never to leave her waiting.

“I never once thought that destiny was anything but a path that you paved for yourself… sure, I thought about what I’d like my future to hold, who I would share it with, but all of that was all held within my dreams and imagination.” She exhaled a warm breath, one visible against the frigid air before she continued to walk. “If someone were to tell you that they were your endgame… would you jump at the opportunity to be with them?”

“Where is this coming from all of a sudden?” He wondered, admittedly confused by her unexpected question and unsure of how to answer.

They’d entered the park, Marinette a few steps ahead. “Someone… a friend of mine, told me that we were soulmates, but…” Marinette swallowed hard, her mouth feeling dry and tasting painfully bittersweet as she stopped a few paces before the statue of Ladybug & Chat Noir. Flickering in her mind were memories of all the times the person she called her partner made her heart race, the moments that had her falling. “Despite all the years he’s been by my side, I never thought to look at him. I never considered giving him a chance until now…”

As the wind blew, her expression became shrouded by her dark tresses. He reached out to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear before taking note of her pained expression. He felt his heart grow heavy; Marinette not smiling somehow felt wrong. “Why…?” He found himself asking in a voice, just barely above a whisper.

“Adrien…” Somehow, the sound of his own name sounded so melodic and wonderful when coming from her. She nuzzled her cheek into his palm with a smile before covering his hand with hers. “I love you… I have always loved you.” She confessed, sparkling tears rimmed her eyes, making them glisten like glass in the light. “I’ve been in love with you ever since that rainy day when you gave me your umbrella.” On that faithful day, so many years ago, when she finally took the moment to really look at him, she would find herself falling faster than lightning.

In that moment, the sight of his princess was breathtakingly beautiful. Adrien felt his voice get trapped in his throat and his mind go blank at the sudden confession. He opened and closed his mouth to try and speak, say something, anything, but couldn’t; the scarf around his neck suddenly feeling too hot, too snug around his neck. Swallowing hard, it took a minute before he managed to choke out her name. “M-Marinette… I—” He’d told himself that he couldn’t possibly be her prince, no matter how much he felt his very being wanting to, screaming to jump at the opportunity to be.

Marinette could hear the hesitation in his voice, knowing that it was because he was still in love with someone else… someone who wasn’t her. Even still, she wanted to know if there was even a chance that he could choose her over that other girl. “Adrien— First and foremost, I’m your friend.” She closed her eyes and lifted his hand away from her cheek. “And as your friend, I wish for nothing but your happiness.” Gazing back up at him with quivering lips, the storm in her eyes began to part with light. Her fingertips grazed his lips with a featherlight touch and Adrien found himself leaning in on pure instinct, wanting to feel more of that warmth. “Please… Tell me, do I really not have a chance to be the one who makes you happy? I need to know… Is it truly impossible for us to have a future together?”

“It’s not…” He found the truth escaping his lips without hesitation or second thought, but couldn’t find it in himself to regret it. It was a fact he never dared to speak… and yet, had. “I-It’s… not… but… the person I’m in love with is…” Gripping her hand a little tighter, he began to clench his jaw at how his feelings were becoming so clear and convoluted at the same time. “Marinette— I—” He covered his mouth as he saw her expression begin to shift; her heart was starting to shatter right before his very eyes and there was nothing he could do to save it except… except maybe say he loved her too. He had to bite his tongue, hold himself back from saying it, stop himself from thinking it, because he knew if he admitted his true feelings, that he would be confessing that he’d unfairly loved someone besides the lady he’d sworn himself to. “I’m so—”

“Don’t apologize!” Marinette interrupted before the volume of her voice lowered to that of a whisper. “Please, Adrien... please don’t ever apologize for your feelings.” She spoke the same words her mother had to Chat Noir. “I… I’d been trying to tell you for so long… every day, countless times, I just—” Marinette could see it, that he did feel something for her. She knew he was struggling to reject her and not just because he didn’t want to lose her as a friend. Truly, that girl he loved didn’t know just how lucky she was. “I just wanted you to know how much you’ve meant to me this whole time.”

“M-Marinette…” Adrien closed his eyes, pieces of his heart in complete disarray. He’d been trying so hard not to fall for her this whole time, but knew it’d be inevitable. She was an everyday Ladybug, kind, talented, and in some ways, even more heroic. They were so close, the best of friends… it was impossible for him not love her. “I wish th—” He knew that he wished that somehow, someway that Marinette was Ladybug rather than Multimouse. Knowledge of a future with Ladybug was the only thing that stopped him, or at least that what he told himself. He knew though, deep down, only he had been the one to blame from holding himself back. Adrien gripped at the scarf around his neck, the feeling suddenly feeling more suffocating than soft or secure. If what she said about loving him all this time was true, even greater happiness could have been brought into his life long ago.

Marinette was the first to let go. Dropping her hands to her sides, she took a step back. The fact that Adrien didn’t look at her like the confession was the worst thing he’d ever heard hurt her all the more. “I just wanted to thank you… thank you for being my first love.” She could feel the pain of her heart breaking, but knew she needed to speak her truth if she was ever going to find a way to move forward.

“Marinette, wait—” Wait for what exactly, Adrien wondered. She’d done nothing but wait! “I don’t…” Clenching his teeth, he found himself unable to meet her gaze. Adrien didn’t know what to do, didn’t know what to say, didn’t know what to think. The only thing he knew was that he didn’t want to lose her!

“I don’t regret having held onto these feelings for so long. I don’t regret anything.” The way she spoke as if she had treasured every moment sounded more like a statement to convince herself rather than the truth. “I could never… regret having met you.” She whispered before gritting her teeth. Marinette couldn’t bear the thought of her feelings becoming a burden. “Adrien, look at me, please.” She pleaded, even as her vision began to blur.

Inhaling a deep breath, he held it and did what he was asked.

“I’m… I will be all right, Adrien… we both will be.”

Even with tears in her eyes, she somehow managed enough strength to gift him with that same beautiful smile that he now realized was only ever aimed at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all can have your angst and prepare yourself for marichat sin (jk, this doesn’t get M rated.) I honestly thought about pushing this off a little longer, but I'm getting writer's block on Emma Agreste's story too.


	16. Save Me

After her confession, Marinette had left with tears her eyes, knowing her feelings had gone unrequited.

Despite every fiber of his being screaming at him to chase after her, to hold her in his arms… Adrien felt he had no right. After all, he couldn’t let himself tell her that he loved her. Gazing up at the statue of himself with Ladybug, he began to get lost in his thoughts. He tried to focus on what he knew his future was to hold, but no matter how much he treasured the memory, the way he remembered Emma, Hugo, Louis, and the adult Ladybug was beginning to fade. Angry at himself, Adrien clenched his hands into fists, having felt himself get weak. He’d sworn he’d do anything to protect that future, but never did he ever think he become a person who could hurt someone he cared for so much in order to get what he wanted.

For the first time, Chat Noir arrived to the Eiffel Tower later than planned, fearing that he’d kept his lady waiting. When he saw she wasn’t there, a part of himself felt relieved somehow, knowing he was unsure of how to face her after having received such a heartfelt confession.

He glanced down at his phone and saw that he’d missed a message from Ladybug.

_[Forgive me, Chat Noir._

> _Something came up so, I can’t meet you tonight._
> 
> _Our Christmas plans still stand though._
> 
> _Look forward to your present._

_Love,_

_Your Lady]_

“Love… _Your_ Lady?” Chat Noir whispered.

It was the first time Ladybug had ever signed a message that way. Chat Noir had to wonder… was she implying that she was finally to be his? The gesture would normally have him soaring, but today, the message somehow felt void of true affection. I was as if the words were almost like a command.

Forgive her.

Look forward.

Love her.

He’d do anything for Ladybug. _Strange_ — he had felt he’d have done anything for Marinette too.

He clenched his hand into a fist and banged it against the wall beside him. With his super-strength, the foundation shook, threatening to crumble. With a pained groan, Chat Noir found himself falling backward. He gazed up at the starry sky and reached his arms toward the moon. Some nights, he’d feel tormented by the fact that he probably had the power destroy it. No, he knew he had the power to; his lady had told him of such a timeline and how it had haunted her even long after she’d fixed it.

_"If someone were to tell you that they were your endgame… would you jump at the opportunity to be with them?”_

Ladybug had fixed the future to be the one he’d seen. She was his endgame! But that didn’t mean he couldn’t have taken the opportunity to explore love elsewhere. He knew he had the time…

Flashbacks of moments spent with Marinette flooded his mind. He thought back to that moment when he offered his umbrella to her, when he felt they’d finally made a connection, when he felt he’d finally made his first friend. Yet it seemed that while the air between them had cleared in that moment, rather than friendship, she fell in love; the concept just blew his mind as to how someone so wonderful had actually loved him! Whenever he saw her cheeks turn red or she start to mumble or stutter around him was because she was struggling with what to say or how to convey her feelings. Like an oblivious idiot, he’d thought she was just uncomfortable being around him, hence why he found himself going over to her place week after week as Chat Noir. Adrien knew he looked forward to those nights where he was able to be his true self and in turn see hers.

And those damn good passionfruit macarons she’d meant to give to her crush, baked with all her love— they’d always been meant for him! Chat Noir covered his eyes with arms and groaned at the sudden realization. He’d gifted her a pink ladybug pendant embedded with a wish that Marinette would be happy with the person she had a crush on, whoever they may be. Realizing that all this time he’d been encouraging her to confess to her crush, Adrien, now actually seemed cruel.

_“After having spent so much time with you, I’ve come to realize that you and Ladybug are more alike than I ever thought; you’re like an everyday Ladybug!”_

When he spoke those words to her, he’d meant it as the greatest of compliments, but now, it only felt like a curse. He wished that he never saw Marinette as Multimouse. Why couldn’t Ladybug just be the same girl he saw every day? He would be so relieved if they were! He would be so happy! He truly wished they were…

Chat Noir began to grit his teeth at how much of a fool he acted. “Marinette…” A few tears slipped from his eyes. “I swear…” He knew how good of a person she was, even on the first day that they met, despite the misunderstanding, she showed how brave she was by standing up to Chloe, like the class’ own guardian angel. “You don’t know what you’re doing to me!”

He’d spent hours in turmoil, drowning in his thoughts, his heart in a raging duel— he felt defeated and feared losing them both. It was only at the feeling of the faintest few raindrops falling against his face, that he decided it was time for him to try and pull himself together elsewhere. It was late into the night, past 10:00 pm on a Saturday— Marichat time. Chat Noir let out a pained laugh at how ungentlemanly it was to leave his princess waiting. Just another thing she shouldn’t forgive him for he supposed.

However, as he turned to head home, the fluttering wings of a black butterfly caught his attention.

It was an akuma… was headed right in the direction of…

* * *

Marinette felt like a coward after having chosen to run away, but couldn’t bear to watch as everything she’d built up with Adrien begin to crumble right before her very eyes. He didn’t bother chasing after her, and that alone was enough to tell her what she needed to know. Whoever that girl he loved was one lucky lady, maybe even the luckiest. “And to think I’m supposed to be Lady Luck incarnated…” She laughed unkindly at how unfortunate she felt. It felt like everything was slipping right out of her hands.

Today marked the first day of Winter Break; Marinette had hopes that she could spend the rest of vacation with Adrien, officially as his girlfriend, but perhaps a part of her knew better.

Overwhelmed, she gazed at the giftbag which held the Christmas present she’d prepared for him: the blue yarn beanie which so perfectly went with the scarf she’d made for his birthday so many years ago. A soft sigh escaped her lips, the wicked thought of spilling that it was in fact her who poured her feelings into every stitch and loop of his favorite scarf, only to have her efforts miscredited. All this time, she’d placed his feelings above hers, allowing him to think that scarf was made by his father who seemed no sooner, no closer to giving a damn— to think Adrien had said it was the best gift he’d ever received! She hated how much her pain made her almost want to hurt him too.

Despite Tikki’s attempts to console her, she couldn’t hear a word. Marinette swung open the trunk which held all of the things she’d made and planned to gift to Adrien. “He doesn’t know what he’s missing!” She sobbed angrily as she rummaged through the clothing and accessories, littering the floor with her creations.

At the sight of the oversized grey cardigan the future Chat Noir had borrowed, Marinette paused her momentary madness. Hesitantly, she gripped her hands around the fabric and buried her face into it as she recalled the day of Future Insight. She told herself that she was going to be all right— that there was still love in her future!

Taking a deep breath, she somehow inhaled the faded scent of the future Chat Noir’s cologne. Despite it being faint, all she could still smell was Adrien! She gritted her teeth at how ridiculous it seemed— how her mind must be playing tricks on her. Tossing the cardigan aside, her eyes then caught sight of the Tiffany & Co. box she’d buried at the bottom of the trunk. Like a forgotten treasure, untouched by time, the sophisticated little ladybug still shined as she opened the box. As she grazed the cool sterling silver with her thumb, the fingers of her opposite hand were fidgeting with the rose gold ladybug charm around her neck.

_“I’ll support you and your efforts in love. You’re an amazing person, even without a mask, and you deserve to be happy so, I hope that someday, hopefully someday very soon, that boy you like so much will see that too.”_

Her lips quivered as she gripped onto the pink ladybug around her neck. “Chat Noir, you idiot…” Another pained laugh escaped her lips as she tore at the rose gold chain from around her throat. As lovely as it was, there was no longer any point in her wearing a charm that held no luck. Closing the Pandora box, Marinette placed it down where the Tiffany & Co. one once resided.

There were preparations to be made before she could embrace her future with Chat Noir. But in the meantime, she wanted to just do something, anything to feel good again, and honestly, nothing sounded better than being in the arms of someone who actually loved her. But not tonight, she knew that Chat Noir didn’t deserve to deal with the aftermath of this mess, and so she sent a message to cancel patrol.

It maybe seemed impulsive, but she decided that she just had to jump into Chat Noir’s arms the next time she saw him, maybe even reveal her identity! As the guardian of the miraculous she could do that right? Horribly, she joked inwardly at the thought that she should’ve used the snake miraculous when making her love confession. Maybe after seeing with certainty how the entire thing would play out, she could’ve moved forward without lying about not having any regrets.

“Who am I kidding?” She whispered to herself; regardless of if she knew how things would play out, she knew she would fall for him over and over again. “I’ll love Adrien forever…”

Someday, she supposed she’d have to thank Adrien for helping her to make up her mind. To her, for so long, Adrien was like the sun whose light would part through the clouds of a rainstorm. After having been completely blinded, now all she could see was darkness as the storm raged in her heart.

Somehow fueled entirely by emotion, she began cleaning up her room, putting away everything that reminded her of Adrien—taking every solo photo and magazine clipping to compile it in her pink and white polka-dotted scrapbook. Grabbing any photographs taken of them together, she shoved them into a drawer, not having the yet having the strength to deal with the reality that he didn’t want to be with her the way she had wanted to be with him. A large part of her hoped that maybe someday she could look back at the images fondly.

After symbolically closing that chapter of her seemingly tragic love story, she decided that she needed some air, feeling all too suffocated. Her body ached as she leaned over the balcony, nauseous at how violently she cried and screamed. She wept, more tears falling down her cheeks and onto the handmade barrette Adrien had gifted her. “You said that I was special to you…” Gripping the pink rose hairpin tight, she sucked in a deep breath. Adrien had gifted her with symbolic a deep pink rose to thank her for her friendship. **Friends:** That’s all they were and what he thought them to destined to be! A few more stray tears escaped her eyes at the dark realization.

“I never wanted to be _just a friend_ …”

* * *

Chat Noir frantically chased the akuma in the direction of the Dupain-Cheng bakery. Unmuffled by the sudden downpour of rain, an ear-piecing scream echoed through the dark streets Paris, a scream that belonged none other than…

“Marinette… Marinette!” His blood ran cold at the sight before him.

On the floor was one of her earring studs, a few drops of blood split as she’d ripped it out of her ear in desperation. Horrified, he watched as the akuma re-emerged from the object and fluttered toward her.

“Chat Noir, save me…” Her voice quivered, pleading, barely above a whisper. “Please—“

Gripping her close, he held his arm out toward the black butterfly. “Cataclysm…” The command in his voice was laced with rage. Within seconds, the little black butterfly was reduced to nothingness.

“M-Marinette…” Ash slipped through his fingers as he choked her name and took in her broken appearance. Her frostbitten pink cheeks were stained with tears, but even still, she looked so incredibly beautiful. Gently, he rubbed away the remnants of her tears, knowing it’d be foolish to ask what had happened— he knew it was all his fault.

“Chat Noir…” Marinette whimpered as she forced a smile and tried to crack a joke. “Always showing up just in the nick of time… you’re a real hero, huh?” He could hear it in her voice, she was struggling to speak.

“Marinette…” He whispered her name again. “I’m sorry I’m late… I…”

As Marinette turned to retrieve her earring, he took note of the pink rose hairpin crumpled in her hands. “You showed up…” She bit her bottom lip. “You’re always here when I need you; that’s what matters most.” As she bent forward to pick up the earring she suddenly began to stagger. Leaping forward, he caught her in his arms. Taking in the warmth of his secure embrace, she began to smile through the pain. “Thank you for all that you do for me, Chat Noir.”

She was too weak to move and he was too weak to let her go. Bringing her back down to her room, he gently tucked her into the bed. After cleansing her wounded ear, he removed her other earring, his eyes transfixed the whole time on the girl before him. Marinette was quiet, trusting him with her miraculous as he inattentively dropped the pair of jewelry into the drawer of a nearby nightstand.

Unable to leave her side, he placed a hand to her cheek. “Marinette… you almost got akumatized…” He thought his mouth tasted bitter at the horrifying truth. “I don’t know what I’d do if you did…”

“Please…” Softly, she nuzzled her face into his palm. “Don’t ever let me get akumatized, Chat Noir… anything but that.” Her voice was pleading, almost all-knowing at how hopeless the situation would become if the Marinette Dupain-Cheng somehow fell victim to Hawkmoth’s thrall.

“I-I…” He couldn’t bring himself to promise it as he placed his hand over hers, the one that held the barrette.

Regret flashed through her eyes after realizing what she’d said and newly formed tears threatened to spill forth. Marinette couldn’t ask him something like that, only Ladybug could. After taking a deep breath, she decided to speak her truth. “I told that crush of mine that I love him, but… he didn’t say it back.” The tears burned while flowing freely, all too much to contain.

“He’s a fool.” Adrien mumbled, now seeing the consequences of his actions. 

Marinette gazed down at the pink hair accessory in hand; she had fought so hard to protect it from becoming her akumatized object that in the process destroyed it herself. “Or maybe it’s me… Maybe I’ve just been fooling myself this whole time…” Marinette pulled her hand away from Chat’s, dropping the ribbon to somewhere unknown and perhaps hopefully to be forgotten. Without hesitation, she placed her hand against his cheek, knowing exactly where to redirect her affections. “All this time… the person I should’ve been in love with was you…”

Chat Noir’s eyes were transfixed onto hers; Marinette’s eyes gleamed with an amorous allure which made him unable to pull away despite her closing the distance between them. She wasn’t thinking clearly and neither was he. “Marinette… you don’t mean tha—” Their breaths intermingled; pure instinct was beginning to overtake them.

“I don’t know if I can survive this night alone…” Her voice a calculated whimper as she wrapped her arms around his neck, desperately craving the feeling of his warm body against hers. There was still resentment that lingered; she could still feel the darkness in her heart. “Chat Noir, please, don’t leave me.”

Chat Noir found himself wrapping his arms around her as well, holding her tight. “I won’t…” He buried his face into her hair, her intoxicating scent overwhelming his senses. “I swear, I’ll do anything to protect you.”

Marinette felt herself smiling; the wicked urge to hurt a boy she loved still remained. Pulling back slightly, she gazed into his eyes and ran her fingers through his soft blond hair before forcefully gripping onto his locks. “Ladybug will forgive you…” Marinette whispered, leaning in gloriously close to his lips, her other hand having moved to gripping the bell which acted as a zipper to his suit. “I know she will so…” Tugging at it hard, she pulled him to her, locking their lips in a passionate kiss.

Adrien told himself it was wrong kissing someone other his lady, kissing someone who wasn’t in their right mind… kissing the amazing someone had just rejected. He knew it was wrong to allow himself get carried away by the mood, but the sinfully good feeling of Marinette’s searing hot lips against his collarbone made his pulse quicken and mind lose all sense of reason. She didn’t know she was still offering herself to Adrien, but he did. “M-Marinette, we should—” Her lips covered his again, silencing him with a swallow of breathless desire. It was driving him mad how he could no longer bring himself to say no; it was a moment of weakness, but he couldn’t find any alternative in his mind but to take away the pain she felt, the very pain he caused her.

“So that’s why… just for tonight…” Marinette could see her sway on Chat Noir as she shamelessly climbed into his lap, his hands gripping at her waistline. After another dizzying kiss, she buried her face into the side of his hair, trying to drown herself with the scent of a new obsession. Hot breath against bare skin made Chat Noir’s entire body tremble with pleasure and Marinette smirked all-knowing despite how immoral the situation seemed.

Ladybug would forgive him for this.

“So that’s why, just for tonight, be _mine_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried really hard to not make it so it leaves that bitter/sinful feeling of Chat Noir being unfaithful, but I just wanted to show that Marinette was human and could go through human emotions of hysteria and rage. It’s up to you whether or not you want to pretend that they slept with each other. They didn't. More like Marinette unzipped the top part of his suit, pressed herself up against him, and touched him, a lot. Adrien let himself just drown in her kisses; she had kissed him like there was no tomorrow and he found himself kissing back. He knew he loved her and in that moment, told himself not to think about Ladybug, but instead just enjoy the pleasure of just being with Marinette. But Marinette was exhausted, worn ragged, and Chat Noir comforted her while holding him in his arms until she was completely asleep. Chat Noir left around midnight, leaving the entirety of what happened to strict Marichat hours. He didn’t time out right away because as they got older/since they’re almost adults. Let’s say the transformation lasts up to 2 hours after, not that there ever needed to be a need for it to.


	17. Dil-Emma

It was just a typical day in the Dupain-Cheng-Agreste household.

Emma wakes up at the first ring of her alarm, bright and early to get ready for the day. Like a good older sister, she wakes up the twins and instructs them to get ready so that they may head over to their Grandparents’ place for breakfast before school.

Skipping down the hall, she catches a glimpse of her father feeding the family hamster. “Papa! Good morning!”

Adrien turns to his daughter with a smile as she leaps into his arms. “Good morning, Little Purrincess.”

She matches his smile; radiant, like the sunrise. “Were you able to wake Mommy up today?” She questions as she hands the hamster a sunflower seed.

“Not today, looks like the sleeping beauty will need a kiss from someone else this morning.” Her father shakes his head with a bemused smirk as he lifts her up. “Maybe you can try?”

“Fine.” Emma rolls her eyes a bit, thinking her mother is much too old to continue playing the part of a princess. The title, after all, was supposed to be hers!

“Thank you, Little Purrincess.” Adrien says graciously as he straightens up her tiara, a white pearl cat ear headband. It’s Emma’s favorite seeing as it is something that her father designed and hand made it for her seventh birthday. It’s as signature to her as pigtails and red ribbons are to Ladybug.

“MAMAN!!!” Emma hollers as she jumps into her parents’ bed. “Maman!! Wake up!!” She continues to call out to her mother, Marinette, before placing a kiss to her freckled nose.

Marinette stirs only slightly. “Emma…” She mutters before half consciously wrapping her arms around her and dragging her back under the covers. “Just five more minutes.”

Emma yelps at how she’s been captured, knowing that five minutes to her mother could well over mean forty-five! “Hugo!! Louis!! Help! Maman’s captured me!!” She pretends to play a damsel in distress to see her cute little brothers rushing in.

“Emma!” Hugo gasps before jumping on top of his mother. “Mom!!! MOM!!! YOU’RE GONNA BE LATE! WAKE UP!!” After having basically yelled in her ear and tugging at the blankets, he kisses her cheek.

“Not yet, Hugo…” Marinette groans slightly as she apprehends Hugo in her arms.

“Lou! You’re our only hope!” Hugo manages to say as he settles himself in his mother’s arms.

“Mama…” Louis whispers before pecking his mother’s forehead. “Mama, please wake up.”

Marinette’s eyes flutter open slowly before a soft smile graces her features. “Oh, thank you for waking me up, ma Petit Prince,” she yawns before taking note of the other two children in her arms. “Good morning, kittens.” She laughs at Emma’s pouting face. “Sorry, Emma.” She pats her hair, trying to put her locks back in place with one hand while ruffling Hugo’s hair with the other. Hugo, quite satisfied being near his beloved mother, is nuzzling his cheek against her and purring. Marinette gasps dramatically before letting out another yawn. “Oh! Well, would you look at that? A kitten’s fallen asleep in my lap. Since it would be a crime to move, I may as well take a little catna— AH! Adrien!”

Adrien, after having silently snuck back into the bedroom, lifts Marinette up bridal style, away from the children and out of the bed. “My Lady, why keep sleeping when you’re living the dream?” He murmurs against her ear. “I’m sure your family would appreciate it if you were able to join them for breakfast.”

“Eep!” Marinette noises as she feels him kiss the side of her neck. “Sometimes this reality is just too much for me to believe…” She wraps her arms around his neck. “I’m the luckiest Ladybug who ever lived.” She whispers as she leans in for a good morning kiss.

Adrien’s eyes narrow, entranced at his wife’s beauty, even so early in the day. “Oh yeah? Then I guess this black cat is—"

“Oh no…” Emma covers her eyes knowing they’d never get out on time if her mother could flirt her way back to bed with her father. “Stop it! We don’t wanna be late!”

“Mama, Papa!” The twins’ stomachs growl simultaneously.

Hugo huffs. “Hungry!”

“B-Breakfast!” Louis tries his best to sound demanding.

The amorous atmosphere between the two dissipates at the sound of whimpering kittens, leaving Adrien and Marinette to both grow flush at how they could both still get lost in their own world even after more than a decade of marriage.

“I’ll help your mother get ready,” Adrien begins, “so Hue, go ahead and pick out a pretty outfit for her to wear. Emma, wake Plagg and Tikki.” He then turns to Louis. “Lou, go ahead and awaken Kaalki. We’re going to need the help of Chevalier if we’re ever going to make it to the bakery on time.”

Louis’ bluebell eyes light up from behind his polkadot glasses. “O-Ok, Papa!” He scurries away, excited at the opportunity to get practice with the horse miraculous.

Hugo adores getting to pick out his mother’s outfit for the day. Marinette has so many articles of clothing and accessories in a vast array of colors. He also likes that he can sometimes help her with designing as she allows him to color in her proposals as if they were like a coloring book—something about getting a fresh perspective from the eyes of a child.

Emma smiles at her brothers fondly as they go to complete their tasks. On the other hand, she isn’t looking forward to what was requested of her. She shudders in hope Plagg isn’t hanging by the dumpster again. While sending a good morning text to the boy she’s crushing on, she completes her mission just in time for Louis to transform. She puckers her lips, trying to hold back a snort at how regal her little brother’s transformation was despite looking like a knight with sunglasses.

“V-VOYAGE!” Louis calls, opening a portal to the balcony atop the Dupain-Cheng bakery.

Hugo pops through first without so much as looking up from his sketchbook. With Plagg and Tikki secured in her pochette, Emma watches as her father carries her mother through, bridal style. She puffs out her cheeks, having wanted her father to carry her too.

Kneeling down, Adrien settles down his wife as she pats Louis head. “Thank you, Sir Knight.” She giggles as she lifts the glasses off of his face. The transformation comes undone. “But I still prefer ma Petit Prince.” Marinette giggles as she kisses his forehead and hands the glasses to her husband to put back into the miraculous box at a later time. Marinette picks Louis up into her arms and kisses his cheek before going off to capture Hugo to do the same before he decides to wander off as he so often tends to do. “Come along now, I’m sure your grandparents are pulling the pastries out of the ovens as we speak.”

Adrien smiles at his wife tenderly before taking note of a new pressure on his shoulders. “Well, this is quite a _dil-Emma_.” He smirks as his daughter lets out a small giggle.

“Stahp!” Emma snuggles her face into the hair that hers matched so well. “You know I hate that pun!”

Adrien hums to stop himself from letting out huffy puffy sigh. He settles on giving his daughter a piggy back ride. It wasn’t too long ago that he found out his little girl announced that she had a crush on the son of that witch from the past, Lila. Rather than picking a fight and risk triggering some forbidden love rebellion, he and Marinette had decided to ask to meet him over the summer when he came by next. From the bits and pieces they’d heard Emma speak of him, he lived in Italy because his mother couldn’t properly take care of him and that he didn’t know who his father was. Of course, that was the story, Adrien inwardly rolls his eyes. Lila was now some trashy reality TV star, a fitting roll for an actress who lived a life through her web of lies.

Upon stepping downstairs into his in-law’s home kitchen, Adrien notes Sabine setting the table while Marinette settles their sons into their chairs. Suddenly feeling physically shadowed over, he turns to see his father-in-law with a huge grin on his face.

“Welcome, Son! We got some fresh croissants baked just for you!”

Adrien smiles at his father-in-law graciously. “Can’t wait to try them, Tom.”

“Sabine made some jams too! She knows how much you like those!” Tom speaks before pretending to look around. “Now, where’s my little Minette?”

Emma straightens herself up before lifting her face up to meet his gaze. “Over here, Grandpa!” She grinned happily.

“There she is! The prettiest Princess!” Tom gasps before lifting her up onto his broad shoulders. “Come along now, Grandma even made a special batch of cookies, we should get some before your brothers eat them all.”

A part of Adrien wonders if the kitten’s Grandpapa bear, Tom, could have another Weredad episode if Emma ever makes mention of Nolan. A small shudder runs down his spine at how scary a father could be when it comes to his little girls’ heart.

“Something on your mind?” Marinette questions after having taken note of her husband’s soft sigh.

“No, nothing.” Adrien wraps his arms around her shoulders and begins to murmur against her jet-black hair.

Marinette reaches backward to run her fingers through his golden locks. “Welcome to the true test of fatherhood; your precious little baby girl is growing up and running into the arms of a villain’s son.”

Adrien almost winces his eyes at how painful it was to convince Marinette’s parents that he wasn’t some secret bad boy who was totally aware of his father’s actions as Hawkmoth. While the drama didn’t last long, it didn’t make things any easier to get through, what with everything that happened during the aftermath.

Gazing down at his lovely wife and getting lost in her clear blue eyes, all the negative thoughts fly away from his mind as he cuddles her closer.

“Marinette… I’m so thankful for our family.”

* * *

After having finished modeling for the _Miraculous Kids_ line, Emma sat on park bench, waiting for her ride alongside a younger member of the Pawsitivity Club, Naomi Krutzberg.

“I-Is Louis going to be a part of the photoshoot too?” Naomi’s face was flushed as she placed her hands to her cheeks.

Emma had bitten her bottom lip to stop herself from laughing as she took note of the flowers around them seem to grow just slight. “Yeah, you could probably ask Vincent if you could sit behind the camera and watch, if you want.”

“You think so?” She gasped, flowers straight up just bursting out of thin air around her.

“Definitely.” The blonde girl confirmed before Naomi went running. The flowers fluttered in a trail behind her and Emma struggled to try and capture them all. “Oopsie daisy!”

“You did not just make a flower pun.” Kanon frowned, having silently appeared like a ninja.

“Wah!” Emma leaped upward like a scaredy cat, releasing all the flowers up into the air only for the wind to blow them toward her friend. “If anyone should make flower puns, it’s you!” 

“That’s just not in my nature.” Keeping a straight face so similar to her mother, Kagami, Kanon raised a brow as she swept the petals off of her school blazer.

“Pff. Uh huh, _best bud_!” Emma giggled, unsure if Kanon knew she was making a pun or not. “It’s pretty cool having actual powers, though, don’t cha think?” She squealed as she weaved some flowers into Kanon's long, dark locks.

“Her biological mother was Pixie Girl, right?” Kanon questioned as she and Emma walked toward the car. “Wonder if Uncle Marc and Nathaniel have a hard time trying to teach her how to control her powers considering she’s not technically a next generation Miraculous user like us.” After settling herself into her seat, she gave her command. “Tatsu, to Grandmother Anarka Couffaine’s boathouse.”

“Yes, Miss Tsurugi.” The car answered before initiating its self-driving feature.

“Maman mentioned that they’ve actually made some serious progress by just simple gardening.” Emma shrugged as she climbed into the sleek red car. “Seems like it flourishes so much that they’re able to donate crates full of fruits and veggies to the local food drive.”

“Heroism comes in many forms, Emma.” Kanon mused. “Speaking of which, my mother allowed me to practice with the dragon miraculous over the weekend. I just may actually get to be inherit the name Ryuko versus being Hebiko.”

“Oh yeah?” Emma gasped. “What changed?”

“My dad telling her to _try_ to take it easy since we found out pregnant again after so long.” The dark-haired girl spoke while resisting the urge to roll her golden-brown eyes. “She won’t though since the Summer Olympic Games are next month.”

“Have Aunt Kagami and Uncle Luka picked out a name for your sibling yet?” Emma gasped, slightly excited to see how Kanon would act as an older sister after having been an only child for so long.

“It’s supposed to be a secret until the baby shower, but I’m going to have a little brother; they plan to name him Kadence, you know, like rhythm?” Kanon’s lips turned upward with a curious smile. “Speaking of names, have you decided on a name for your miraculous transformation?”

When Adrien allowed Emma to borrow the cat miraculous first time, Plagg somehow transformed Emma to wear white fur-trimmed catsuit with deep pink ribbons. The suit had the faintest appearance of spots against the material, similar to a snow leopard or Bengal cat’s rosette pattern. With the pink lens in her mask, it was more like she was an albino cat though. Adrien believed it to be because versus having a childhood like his, she grew up more like Marie from _The Aristocats._ Though deep down, there was another reason for it.

Emma perked up a bit, wishing she could show off her transformation to her friend. “Kitty White—”

Kanon flicked her best friend’s forehead as they arrived at their destination. “Emma, you’re not going to go by Hello Kitty.”

“Well I can’t go by Little Purrincess or Minette because it would be too obvious!” A small huff escaped the blonde girl’s lips as she rubbed the now sore spot and exited the vehicle. “Hugo and Louis have it easy! They’re going to go by Kit and Chevalier—!” The sound of her phone chimed as they entered the boathouse, interrupting her protests.

Like a good hostess, Kanon pulled out boxes of their favorite flavors of Japanese beverages. Taking a sip of her orange juice, Kanon raised a brow as she watched as Emma’s face lit up at the flood of text notifications. “Nolan, huh?”

“Y-Yeah.” Emma mumbled as her cheeks grew flush as she sipped on her green melon soda.

Kanon tossed her juice box into the trash and pursed her lips slightly. She’d always admired how fearless and confident Emma could be, a natural born leader despite all her faults. However, when it came onto the subject of Nolan— she wasn’t sure what to think. Emma would become a blushing mess and start to stutter her words. Recently, even the way Emma played her violin seemed different. The sound had gone from being bold and vibrant to soft and subdued, like her interest in it had come and gone.

Taking a seat on the deck and knowing Emma probably wouldn’t be able to focus on her violin, Kanon opted to play one of her father’s guitars, a few notes beginning to string themselves together in her mind. “You didn’t actually go into much detail into how you two met.”

Emma’s cheeks suddenly flushed red. “W-Well…”

* * *

It was a hot summer evening and Emma had spent it volunteering at the local animal shelter. As the president of the Pawsitivity Club, she was always the last to leave.

“Bye bye, Naomi.” Emma waved as her friend’s fathers came to pick her up.

“See you next time!” Naomi smiled before placing one hand in Nathaniel’s and other in Marc’s.

Humming to herself, she finished writing her name on the last few forms and handed them to the director who then began preparations for closing.

As she packed her things, her phone began to ring, it was her father calling. “Hi Papa!”

“Good evening, Little Purrincess.” Adrien greeted. “I’m sorry, but your brothers’ photoshoot is running late. Louis has been a bit camera shy without your mother around. Do you think you could wait a little while longer?”

Marinette was out on a business trip in Hong Kong and the Gorilla was accompanying her, leaving Adrien to hold down the fort here in Paris.

Emma pretended to pout. “It isn’t like you to leave a lady waiting!”

“I’m sorry—”

“I was just kitten around!” Emma let out a small laugh; she could practically imagine the color draining from her father’s face. “I’ll be fine! I’m eight now, Papa. Totally a big girl now!”

“Of course—” Adrien let out an audible gasp. “Hugo! Don’t climb on that! Sorry, Emma, got to—”

“Go!” Holding back another fit of giggles, Emma ended the call. She could only imagine what sort of chaos her brothers were causing at the shoot to overwhelm her father so; knowing how the twins could be, she wouldn’t doubt that they’d be stuck at the studio a good while longer.

Just as Emma got to the door, the rain began to pour and the early evening sky went dark. At this, she frowned slightly, not having packed an umbrella. She was never fond of getting wet while running through the rain and she was such a scaredy cat when it came to the sound of thunder. Knowing that her grandparents went to bed early so they could wake at 04:00 am to start baking, she decided not to bother them. Sighing softly, she gazed at her phone and supposed she could beat a few levels of _Miraculous Crush_ before deciding on what to do.

However, before she could even open the app, a flash of color caught her eye from outside. There was someone with a white umbrella running toward the animal shelter while wearing an orange raincoat. Like a flash of lightning, he appeared before her and through the glass, and she saw him— a boy about her age with chestnut hair and olive-green eyes. Captivated at his features, Emma froze in place and the world fell silent.

He gave her an imploring gaze, panting slightly, his exhaustion evident as he motioned toward the door. Curious as to what got him so worked up, she glanced downward and took note of a tiny white kitten with pinkish red eyes in his arms— albino, a rare color. Getting herself together, Emma pushed the door open to allow him inside.

“Ai-Aiuto…” He spoke, the tone of voice sounding awkward. “Aiuto per favore.”

“Um… Do you not speak French?” Emma wondered before lifting her hand with her phone. “Can you type out what you mean?”

The boy dropped his umbrella and pulled out his cellphone only to show her that it was out of battery before shoving it back into his pocket.

“Oh, um.” Emma’s eyes shifted to the adorable little kitten, but upon closer inspection noticed that it was soaked! “Here, you can use mine.” She spoke before opening up the notes app of her phone and holding it out to him.

The boy dropped him umbrella and looked at her phone before hesitantly taking it and typing out his intentions

_[Hello,_

_Can you help? I found this kitten all alone while walking home from the park and thought it’d be best to find it shelter since I can’t take it with me._

_I can’t really hear or talk very well, so if you could speak up it would be much appreciated because it is very difficult for me to…]_

Emma had been watching as he frantically typed and placed a hand on his shoulder to give it a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry! Leave it to me! I will help you!” She grinned before gently taking the kitten into her hands. Motioning for him to follow, she ran toward the back to explain the situation to the director. And in no time, despite not being able to communicate verbally, they were able to work together to get the kitten dried, fed, and ready for bed.

After having had the opportunity to charge his phone and see the kitten get settled in the adoption center, the boy gave a sigh of relief as he walked with Emma toward the exit.

He typed out a message on his phone before showing it to Emma.

 ** _Nolan:_ ** _[My name is Nolan. Thank you for your help today, Miss…]_

“It’s Emma, you can call me Emma!” She spoke up, somewhat afraid self-conscious about the fact that she could be yelling.

“E-M-M-A…?” The boy still struggled with speaking, but held up a hand and began to move it in a way she was unaccustomed to.

“Yes, Emma! You said it right.” She smiled as she placed a hand on his head and began to pat his hair. As his hair fluffed around to rid it of those pesky raindrops, she took note of something in the boy’s ears—hearing aids. Scrunching her eyebrows a bit at having just realized “not hearing very well” meant he was hard of hearing, she pulled out her phone and began to type into a new message.

 ** _Emma:_ ** _[Would it be all right with you if we shared contact information?_

_It’d be much easier to text you rather than having to look at each other’s screens.]_

Nolan nodded slightly before exchanging phones and contact information.

 **_Nolan:_ ** _[Yes, this is much easier. Thank you, Emma.]_

 **_Emma:_ ** _[I’m glad we could help that kitten. You and I make a great team.]_

 **_Nolan:_ ** _[The kitten looks so happy I hope she gets adopted into a nice family.]_

 **_Emma:_ ** _[I’m sure she will. In the meantime, you can always drop by to see her.]_

When they reached the doors, Nolan lifted the hood of his raincoat above his head and took note of how forlorn Emma looked at the sight of the storm.

 **_Nolan:_ ** _[No umbrella?]_

 **_Emma:_ ** _[No. I didn’t expect it to rain.]_

 **_Nolan:_ ** _[Then you can take mine.]_

 **_Emma:_ ** _[What about you?]_

 **_Nolan:_ ** _[My mother’s place isn’t too far from here, I’ll be ok. Get home safe.]_

At that, Nolan held out his umbrella. Hesitantly, Emma lifted her hand, wondering if she should really accept it. Nolan placed the handle in her grasp before suddenly, he lifting her hand up to his lips and giving it the slightest kiss. “Grazie, Emma.”

Emma suddenly felt her cheeks grow hot at the sudden gesture; she’d seen her father do it countless times to her mother, but it was the first time anyone had done it to her! Lightning struck outside, the flash alarming her to speak. “Y-You— You’re welcome!” She chirped loudly.

Nolan smiled before taking off into the storm, leaving Emma completely confused as to why she felt her heart suddenly thumping too loud for her to hear anything else clearly.

“Nolan Rossi, huh?” Emma’s voice held a certain fondness as she gazed at the name recently added to her contact list. “Nolan Rossi…”

While in a daze, Emma started down the path home, her thoughts repeatedly wandering to the boy she’d just met. Touched at how brave he seemed to go out of his way to keep a kitten safe, she couldn’t even hear the thunder over the sound of her own heart pounding in her ears.

“Emma!”

“EMMA!”

At sound of her father’s voice, her head shot up to see Chat Noir gazing down at her from a nearby streetlamp.

“Pa-Pa— Chat Noir!” She quickly corrected herself. “A-Are you here to take me home?”

“Yes!” He answered, instantly lifting her up into his arms. “I was so worried when I had heard you went off on your own into the storm.”

“I said I’m a big girl and that I’d be okay!” She gasped as he steadily jumped up onto a nearby rooftop.

“Weren’t you afraid of the thunder though?” Adrien knew it was one of her few fears because he too was afraid of thunder when he was young.

“Oh, I didn’t even notice…” Emma spoke as she gripped onto her father’s collar and nuzzled closer to take in his warmth. She suddenly just realized that it was freezing!

Somewhat curious as to how she suddenly overcame her fear, Chat Noir suddenly took note of the unfamiliar white umbrella in his daughter’s hand. “Where did you get that umbrella, Emma?”

“Oh! I…” Emma blushed slightly as she buried her face into his chest. “I just got it from a good friend.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Galahadwilder made that dil-Emma pun on Tumblr so I asked if I could borrow it, he said yes. Thank you!  
> Nolan Rossi and Naomi Krutzberg are the names of ratheroddrangers OCs so I thank him for letting me borrow the names, though I did totally add my own spin on their characters.  
> Kanon Tsurugi is mine, I imagine her to be looking similar to Kagami with extremely long dark hair and no freckles, giving her blue eyes would cruelly make her look too much like Marinette, so she has brown eyes.


	18. The Sound of Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger? I don't know her.  
> So have a Lukagami story instead.  
> This chapter will also be posted as the first chapter of its own Lukagami Spin-Off series: [The Sound of Flowers](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24826252/chapters/60050152)  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Kantoku: Coach  
> *Tokonoma: A recess or alcove typically for displaying flowers, pictures, and ornaments  
> *Hanakotoba: The Japanese Language of Flowers  
> *Sakura: Cherry Blossoms  
> *Tsubaki: Camellias

“That’s all for today, Tsurugi-san, take a rest. You deserve it after having worked so hard.”

Kagami lifted her mask and shook off the sweat before turning to her coach with a bow. “Thank you, Kantoku.”

After having changed out of her gear and saying her goodbyes to her teammates, the coach walked over as she began packing her things.

“Remember Tsurugi-san, you’re going to be on Spring Break, I want you to actually rest. Which means, eat, sleep, relax, and participate in a hobby that isn’t related to fencing.”

Kagami parted her lips for a moment.

“Archery doesn’t really doesn’t count.”

And then Kagami clamped her lips shut, almost wincing.

“Yes, Kantoku.” From the corner of her eye, she could see the sakura trees beginning to blossom. It truly was Spring again, a time for a fresh start and new beginnings. “I also think it’s about time I start something new.”

After exiting the school, Kagami gazed down at the floral centerpiece she cradled in her arms. She had arranged it in class and planned to place it in the tokonoma when she got back home.

Deciding to go through the park, she looked up at the sakura trees, stopping to admire how their petals fluttered evanescently. As she sat on a bench and gazed at the flowers, she began to lose herself in her thoughts.

Kagami began to think about what her life was now, how near perfect it sounded on paper. She was back in Japan, living on her own, and was on a fast track to getting her MBA in a prestigious university. Being invited to join the Japanese Olympic fencing team right out of high school, following in her mother’s footsteps, making her proud, was admittedly the best thing that ever happened to her.

Granted, it may or may not have been a plus that it got her out of Paris— away from Adrien Agreste. Seasons had passed and she was finally feeling like herself again.

She gazed down at the flower arrangement she had created. Blinded by her own feelings, she’d chosen to use yellow tulips and morning glories. Yellow tulips to represent the hopeless, unrequited love she held for that bright ray of sunshine that was Adrien and morning glories for how the brief love she felt toward him had all been in vain.

A pained, joyless laugh escaped her lips at how she had subconsciously chosen these flowers. To think she’d chosen ikebana, the art of flower arrangement, as her hobby. It was some damn creative outlet— that was for sure.

“I thought I was over him.” Muttering to herself, she told herself she needed to be. For the longest time, her teenage self had thought that they were meant for each other, perfect together because of their similarities, but it wasn’t until she actually went out with him that she realized they weren’t. Pressured to impossible standards by a strict parent, growing up without friends or someone else to turn to, they were both broken in similar ways. Just two alike pieces of a jigsaw puzzle— of similar form, but unable to complete each other no matter how hard she wanted them to fit.

She’d always felt Adrien had been holding back, unable to fill the void in her heart or allow her to fill his. She was always the one to try and initiate a kiss. And even when she finally had succeeded, she’d realized that there was no spark, no fireworks… no love.

It made her feel pathetic.

Love wasn’t supposed to feel like that… right?

Love was supposed to…

Kagami had to admit she didn’t even know what love was supposed to feel like!

She didn’t understand it at all.

However, when Marinette and Adrien looked at each other, Kagami almost thought she did. His eyes would light up, like his soul burned all the brighter around Marinette.

Perhaps in her own way, she was only in love with the idea of him and what he represented. _Perfection_ , that’s what she thought he was, but she was wrong. No one was perfect, not even her… they couldn’t be what the other needed, but that… that was okay.

She felt herself tear up slightly, but was snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of a melody that somehow resonated in her heart.

 _「うわー、超ハンサム！」_ _“Wah, he’s so handsome!”_

 _「かっこいいね〜」_ _“So cool!”_

 _「上手に弾くよね。」_ _“The way he plays is beautiful.”_

The explosion of comments and chatter caused her to shoot her head up to find the source of the music.

There, not too far away, she spotted a man with hair as blue as the morning glories that contrasted with the yellow tulips in her arms.

“Luka…?” The name escaped her lips without her even knowing. 

The song continued for a moment longer and Kagami miraculously found her tears subsiding.

🌸

Having received recommendation to participate in hanami, Luka had found himself drawn to a park with sakura in full bloom. 

After having been able to strum a few chords, Luka looked up at the girl who inspired the melody with her silent tears. She seemed familiar somehow, her shoulder-length black hair reminded him of Marinette.

A soft smile made its way to his lips at the thought of his past love.

Marinette had inspired him greatly, and encouraged him to move onto bigger, better things. And that he did. He pursued his passion and was able to reconnect with his father thanks to her.

Marinette was extraordinary, as clear as a musical note and as sincere as a melody, she’d been the music that’s been playing inside his head for the longest time… until one day, there was nothing but silence.

When her song stopped playing was when Luka knew it was over, that a piece of his heart had finally been returned to him.

It was time for him to move on and find a muse elsewhere.

🏵

After finishing the tune he had been so immersed in, he looked ahead to meet the gaze of the girl he’d drawn inspiration from, relieved that she hadn’t fled the scene so he could thank her.

Slinging his guitar over his shoulder, he made his way past the crowd and slowly began to approach the young woman. Luka didn’t know what it was about her that caused that creative spark; her clothes weren’t eye-catching nor her body particularly soft and feminine. Maybe it was something about how her aura radiated—it just drew him in.

When he was just an arm’s length away, he realized that he knew her. She was also someone from his past, someone who had decided to leave Paris to pursue a new path at the same time he had. He’d never bothered to look at her before, because he never bothered to look at anyone since Marinette and for the briefest moment, he wondered how he could ever think they’d look similar.

The person who stood before him, the person who was so vastly different from his first love, she was fierce, passionate...

“Kagami!” Luka greeted her with a few kisses on the cheek and she found herself returning the gesture out of sheer surprise. “How have you been?”

 _「あっ、あの女の子と付き合ってるの？」_ _“Eh? He’s her boyfriend?”_

 _「あの女の子は運がいいね〜 羨ましい！」_ _”She’s so lucky!”_

Kagami stiffened at the misunderstandings all around them; it wasn’t normal to greet someone with a kiss on the cheek here! And he had even addressed her by her first name without honorifics, implying that they were closer than they really were. 

“Fine, but you…” Biting her tongue, she decided she didn’t want to bother with a long cultural explanation. “What are you doing here?”

“My dad sort of... kicked me out.” He laughed. That part was true. Even Luka knew he wasn’t playing as well as he wanted. “Told me to find some inspiration elsewhere, so here I am.”

Jagged Stone was scheduled to come and perform in Tokyo at the end of the week. And Luka knew he needed to get his shit together before then. 

“And here you are, in the middle of Tokyo,” Kagami raised a brow, “without any plan whatsoever…?”

“I’ll admit it’s difficult to navigate around with the language barrier, but I thought I’d check out the sights. Gotta figure out the train system though... and find a place to stay...”

“Come home with me!” she abruptly declared.

Luka looked at her with an unreadable expression. “Ah?” His mouth fell open as he raised a brow at her sudden outburst.

“That is so not what I meant.” She facepalmed as she suddenly took note of his body beginning to tremble. “What I mean is—”

And suddenly he was roaring with laughter.

Kagami felt her heart thump; she’d never felt so embarrassed! He was laughing at her and she found herself wondering— just when was the last time anyone laughed at her? When was the last time she had made anyone, let alone a guy, laugh?

Never.

Not even with Adrien.

It was strange, it was new, it was— _comforting._

❀

Her original intention was to show him some hospitality for all the times she remembered having gone to his houseboat, give him a place to stay rather than staying in some cramped hotel room that a person with such a broad physique would definitely find uncomfortable.

As the days passed, Kagami discovered how different it could be to live with someone. Only ever having lived with her mother, she’d never known the joy of cohabitation. Luka was like a breath of fresh air in her home— one she never knew she needed.

These days, Kagami would find herself waking up to the sound of his music, the melody sincere and the occasional glimpse of his singing voice a rare gift. It was all so awe-inspiring that she’d find a flame of competitiveness begin to tug at her core. 

With him, she went out of her way to visit all sorts of places and events she would’ve otherwise ignored on her own. He was surprisingly insightful and made her see things in a completely new light. A whole new world was unfolding right before her eyes and she found herself wanting to see more, do more, live more.

✾

It had taken a few days, but somehow Kagami finally cracked and pulled out her old violin, no longer satisfied with just listening to his song, but rather wanting to accompany it. The instrument was something she hardly played anymore, never having found the time, but she had more or less mastered it in childhood. While changing the strings to her violin, Kagami somehow felt that something was tugging at ones in her heart.

After an early morning “jam session” as Luka liked to call it, Kagami began to pack away her violin. The duet formed between them that morning had drawn in a few of her neighbors and passersby and the two had found themselves putting on a mini concert from her balcony.

Wiping a drop of sweat from her brow, Kagami had to admit that the roar of applause that followed had felt very different from those that followed a fencing competition. Wondering if her coach would be proud of how she had decided to spend her Spring break, she found herself realizing that it was only possible after having fatefully met Luka once more.

As she turned to Luka, wondering where he would like to spend his last day in Tokyo, she had thought for a moment that a thread of red had flashed in the air between them. Blinking once more, she thought it just had to be her imagination, a trick of light.

A red string of fate?

The connection of two hearts destined for one another...

That was just something out of folklore... right?

Staring down at her own hands, Kagami almost laughed at herself for beginning to think like some anime school girl when Luka suddenly spoke.

“Roses don’t suit you at all.” He was sitting by the tokonoma where she had kept a few objects: family heirlooms, a scroll with a dragon, her ikebana arrangement, and the first and only rose Adrien had ever given her, pressed and preserved within a picture frame.

“What do you know about plants?” She’d asked, her voice devoid of any sort of emotion that she found herself feeling— offense, pain, hurt.

“I used to help my mom manage her greenhouse on the boat,” Luka shrugged, “but I know enough to say roses aren’t your flower.” He then motioned toward the ikebana arrangement of yellow tulips and morning glories that had just begun to wilt. “And neither are those.” He looked up at her as he rested his head against his arms with a soft sigh. “They’re just too sad.” With the way he was speaking, Kagami became unsure of whether he knew hanakotoba or if he just knew her, “And that’s just not you.”

“The—” The way his clear blue eyes looked, as if looking right into her soul made Kagami pause. She couldn’t get mad, for she just realized that she was just holding onto nothing. Her feelings of so-called love for Adrien… were now just a relic of the past. Sitting herself properly on the tatami mat to meet his eye level, Kagami found herself grinning as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Come with me then.”

At the sight of her smile, Luka somehow found himself enchanted. Gazing down at how her fingers pinched the end of his sleeve, the motion almost playful, he let out a soft chuckle. “Where to?”

❁

Luka found himself surrounded by flowers with Kagami. 

She had taken him to an outdoor botanical garden and challenged him with the task of finding what flower suited her best.

From behind the viewfinder, Luka snapped pictures as Kagami posed by various flowers, a joking tone escaping her lips as she teased him about what could possibly be perfect for her.

Carnations and daisies seemed too simple.

Cherry blossoms, peonies, and hydrangea were too gentle in color.

Daffodils and sunflowers, definitely not.

This thought process continued until they came to a lush garden of camellias.

White for waiting, yellow for longing, and red...

A sudden gust of wind blew, taking with it all the loose petals. The flowers seemed to suspend themselves in the air around them as Kagami’s hair fluttered, the moment almost magical. 

And at the sight of her with camellias, a new song began to play in Luka’s head, one that was rising into full on crescendo. The woman before him was clearer than any music note and making the tempo of his heartbeat quicken.

Being with Kagami was as harmonic as a resolution.

And in Luka’s heart a new feeling began to bloom, bursting forth like a flame that could only grow. It wasn’t quite love, at least… not yet.

✿

As they exited the botanical garden, Kagami took note of some flower girls selling baskets full of fresh flowers.

Having had such a wonderful time, a soft smile formed upon her lips as she picked up a small bouquet of forget-me-nots. “Here, the flowers I’ve decided that suit you best.” Holding her hands out to Luka, the flecks of gold in her eyes sparkled. “To represent how I will never forget this week I’ve spent with you.” The blue flowers seemed to match Luka’s eyes all too well.

Luka took hold of the flowers and looked at Kagami, his hands resting over hers just a little longer. His expression was so serene.

Kagami began to hear her heart pounding in her ears, still unsure if Luka truly understood hanakotoba. Forget-me-nots implied that the giver would like to be remembered by the receiver, but they also had another meaning…

_True love_

Luka only smiled at her as he accepted the bouquet. “I don’t think I could ever forget.”

Kagami refused to let her smile falter, still unable to read his. “About my flower… have you made a decision?”

Gently, Luka reached out his hand and brushed away a few stray flower petals out from between locks of her hair, “I have, but I won’t tell you my answer just yet.” He had to make some preparations first.

💮

That night, at the Jagged Stone concert, the sound of screaming fans may as well have been muted. For all of Kagami’s attention was on Luka and she couldn’t see or hear anything else. The way he looked, the way he played, his passion… he was on fire on stage, captivating her more than she ever thought possible.

And when the show ended and the crowd had gone, Luka took the stage once more and motioned for Kagami to step forward. “I wrote a song for you.”

“Oh?” Writing a song was quite the gesture and somehow, Kagami couldn’t help but start to hope that maybe, just maybe the man before her was feeling something even remotely close to an interest in her. “You did?”

“Will you listen?” 

“Yes!” Kagami felt her face flush just the slightest bit, realizing just how handsome he was once she was finally really looking at him.

And so he began to play his song, the sound starting out similarly to what she had heard when they had crossed paths with each other again.

However, this time, rather than stopping her tears, Kagami found them flowing freely from her eyes.

“Hey…” After having finished, Luka placed his hand over Kagami’s head and began to pat her hair. “Kagami… it’s okay.”

Wiping her tears away, all she could do was nod with her eyes closed.

Tilting her face upward and grabbing hold onto the stem of a deep red camellia he’d kept hidden, Luka stepped forward and presented it to her, saying everything one could say with a red rose and more.

“Tsubaki…?” Kagami whispered as she blinked back the tears and looked at the elegant flower, it meant a lot of things— admiration, passion, desire, the coming of Spring, and... “Luka?” She looked up at him and now knew by the look in his eyes that he understood what he was offering her. “Am I...?”

_The perfect love_

“You are the new flame in my heart… _Mon Camélia_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU to MiniNoire, Khanofallorcs, a_popcorn_kernel, SteelBlaidd, and sanj_sanj on Discord for beta reading~ It's my first time ever writing about non-lovesquare and struggled greatly with how to write about these characters.


	19. Winter Wishes

_“I’m sorry it took me so long to realize… I want to be with you, Chaton.” Ladybug hummed as she ran her fingers through his golden locks. “Make me yours.”_

_Chat Noir let out a throaty purr against his Lady’s touch; it felt amazing. “I was willing to wait forever… I love you, My Lady.” He whispered, leaning in to give her a kiss._

_Suddenly, he heard a soft whimper and turned to see the girl he called his princess. “But don’t you also love me?”_

_I do!” His mouth betrayed him._

_You do love me!? I’m so happy!” Her eyes lit up like stars._

_At the sight of her smile his heart felt so full he thought it’d burst. “_ _Of course… I— I love you.” He murmured at the realization._

_You love Marinette?” The question came from Ladybug who suddenly stood beside her. With Marinette not wearing her hair in pigtails, she no longer looked similar to Ladybug._

_“I—” Chat Noir’s transformation suddenly came undone; there he stood before the two as just Adrien._

_“Well, if it’s her then that’s fine!” Ladybug suddenly flashed a grin and pushed him down. “I don’t mind sharing!” She spoke with a sultry glint in her eyes._

_“Wah— What?!” He lied flat as the two girls climbed on top of him._

_The sight of Marinette in sheer pink and Ladybug in red lace had his mind racing and his heart causing all the blood to pump through his veins far more profusely than he ever thought possible._

_“I told you that she’d forgive you.” Marinette gave a teasing smirk, dark strands spilling over her shoulder and tickling his bare skin._

_“There’s nothing to forgive.” Ladybug mused. “After all, no one loves Chat Noir more than Ladybug.”_

_“And no one loves Adrien Agreste more than…”_

* * *

“Marinette!” Adrien eyes shot open as he awoke from his dreams. Frantic, he looked around to see he was in his own room.

Plagg giving him a nasty side eye. “What is it?” The black cat grumbled as he hovered up to his chosen; he found it way too earlier for his kitten’s shenanigans. “I was dreaming of ooey-gooey Camembert and wow— you don’t look so good, Kid…” He placed a paw to Adrien’s forehead; he wasn’t running a fever, but he was covered in sweat.

Images of that night with Marinette flashed in Adrien’s mind, mixing together with remnants of his most recent dream. He instantly felt his face flush. “I’m— I’m gonna go take a shower!” He announced as he ran from his kwami and into the bathroom. While standing under the cold water, he dropped his head and sighed.

It wasn’t the first time he had such dizzying fantasies, but not even in his wildest dreams would Marinette and Ladybug both be on top of him like that! He began to swear; his imagination was running wild just to mock him. Marinette looked so cute and Ladybug so sexy— he thought they might as well kill him now. Placing a hand to his forehead, he really didn’t want to admit it, but he wanted them both.

* * *

Adrien gazed at his reflection in the mirror, taking note of how the marks Marinette had left on his neck and collarbone were beginning to fade despite the memory of her fingertips still tingling against his skin. His muscles tremored slightly as he remembered how her hands felt as they ran over him. His body still somehow seemed to crave her touch and he hated how he couldn’t talk himself out of wanting more. 

He had tried to rationalize the beautiful mistake he’d made with her and began to resent himself for it. He’d been in such denial. His heart had been wavering for months; he knew as much, but it wasn’t until now that he could actually say he loved Marinette.

It wasn’t normal to have dreams of her like this, fixated on how little that pink babydoll nightgown covered so little that night. She looked so lovely despite all the tears he’d caused her.

It wasn’t fair for him to kiss her after having broken her heart, marring her smooth, milky white skin crimson with his mouth. It was like he was under a spell, weak, and swept away by the heat of the moment.

Guilt-ridden: that was how he was supposed to be feeling, and yet, he still desired her. He desired more of her.

It wasn’t right for him to be in love with anyone other than Ladybug, was it?

“I can’t believe I said she was _just a friend_.” He always felt she was more than that, and now he knew why.

“You can have both, you know.” Plagg spoke with his mouth full as he sat in a round box of sliced Camembert.

Adrien narrowed his eyes at his kwami as he finished freshening up, swearing that if Plagg had a reflection, he’d look like a little devil on his shoulder. “What are you talking about?”

“Ladybug and Marinette, you can have them both!” Kwami exclaimed. “Here, I’ll give you an example.” He picked up two wedges of cheese. “Pretend I’m you! One piece is Ladybug while the other is Marinette.” He waved his arms around. “I love youuu! You’re the greatest thing in my life! I want you for myself, yadda, yadda, yadda…” He spoke to his snacks before tossing them both into his mouth. “Delicious! Ah, nothing makes me happier!” Plagg smiled dreamily as he patted his tummy. “Get it?”

Adrien furrowed his brows a bit. “Of course, I don’t **_get it_**! You just grabbed two pieces of cheese from the same container!” He shook his head and walked out of the bathroom.

_“Exactly!”_ Plagg was internally screaming.

* * *

Deciding to go for a walk, Adrien draped his blue scarf around his neck, hoping to hide the discolorations on his throat and just clear his head. Aimlessly, he wandered through the estate, and after accepting a package from the mailman, decided on taking a break on the bench. He sat by the rose bushes, the ones he’d plucked frequently to gift to his lady.

_“Whoever she is beneath that mask, I love that girl.”_

Despite how impossible it seemed, he still found himself wishing that the girl beneath Ladybug’s mask was Marinette.

_“Always, I will choose to love you."_

Absentmindedly, he made his way back up the stairs of the mansion and back to his room to open up a parcel he’d received. He whispered to himself before looking down at what he’d ordered. There, in a glass case sparkling like something out of a fairytale, with crystal and gold laid the Christmas present he’d custom-ordered for Ladybug months in advanced— a forever rose, one to represent his so-called “undying love" for her.

“I feel like such a liar…” Adrien balled his hands into fists before shoving the box into a drawer. There was no way he could give it to her now!

Not knowing why his scarf suddenly felt heavier than a collar with chains, he fiddled with the ends before taking it off. Gazing down at the accessory, he began to feel somewhat conflicted, somewhat wishing he remained oblivious to the fact that it was handmade by Ladybug. Ladybug, the person he’d fallen for the day they’d met, the person he promised to love forever, the person who was to be his endgame!

_“Think with your head!”_

_“Listen to your brain!”_

A pained laugh escaped Adrien’s mouth; that’s what Ladybug always told him to do, knowing he always thought with his heart.

Yeah, his head was telling him to stick with his Lady; he’d loved her for so long. He believed Chat Noir to be hers, mind, body, and soul.

But his heart… Adrien’s heart was still wishing for Marinette.

* * *

Marinette spent the last few days before Christmas finishing up her gift for Chat Noir— a representation of her heart. Within a red and black-spotted album, she had pressed the roses that Chat Noir had given her during his courting. Along with it, she written on little pieces of decorative paper, with her best calligraphy, the things he’d done to make her fall in love with him as well as the things she loved about him— including only the best puns.

Thinking back to last Saturday night, Marinette blushed at they’d really given “Marichat time” a whole new meaning. She’d commanded him to hold her with all he had and now knowing how good his body could feel against hers was just so dizzy-inducing. The softness of Chat Noir’s hair, how smooth his bare skin was, and how crazy hard his abs were just driving her wild. Her lips tingled as stole a glance in the mirror. She almost though it a shame that the love bites and bruises, proof of the sheer ferocity of their passion that’d been shared through kisses, had begun to fade.

Knowing his track record for remembering the kisses they shared, she inwardly joked at the odds being in her favor of him forgetting what happened a few nights ago. The thought, however, was shot down by Plagg who came in the middle of the night to tell her that his holder was tormenting himself and feeling extremely guilty for all that they’d done, that no amount of “ _It’s no big deal to do that with your girlfriend!”_ would make him feel any better.

For Marinette though, it seemed as though riding the high of the almost afterglow effect made her feel guiltless. She’d promised to wait until her heart healed before giving it to him, but no matter how much her mind told her it sounded like a recklessly impulsive rebound, her heart somehow kept telling her it was all right to just jump right in and take that leap of faith.

She wasn’t a princess, this wasn’t a fairytale, and she didn’t need a prince— she needed her partner! A tiny laugh escaped her mouth as she thought back on that fateful day so long ago. She thought maybe she’d have to thank Hawkmoth for that Future Insight akuma. Without knowledge of what could be her future, she knew she wouldn’t be handling the days as well as she had. Sure, she still shed a few tears about how her love confession with Adrien had gone, but the episodes had started to become few and far between. She knew she was going to be all right. Chat Noir was going to be her future husband; he was going to love and accept her, stand by her side, treat her right, and make all of her wishes come true!

* * *

Marinette hummed in contentment as she helped her parents finish the last of the cake orders; there had been quite a few custom requests made this year and the sheer overwhelming amount of work was a welcomed distraction from her recent rejection as well as a great way to improve her confectionery skills. Despite her clumsiness, Marinette was still great with her hands and had so much fun creating cake decorations.

A customer special ordered a set of Ladybug and Chat Noir cupcakes at the very last minute and Marinette simply begged her parents to be in charge of it. She even created her own recipe of a cherry-berry chocolate chip cake for Ladybug and dark-chocolate mint cake for Chat Noir.

By the time she was done, the two cupcakes were seriously drowning in miraculous symbolism and edible glitter. Signing the corner of the bakery box with the tiniest little Ladybug signature she could manage, a part of her laughed and wondered how the recipient would react if they knew that the actual Ladybug had made their cupcakes.

* * *

Humming one of Luka’s old tunes to keep focused, Marinette began to pack Christmas gifts into a large Santa sack. However, the calm could last only so long before the storm because at the sound of her phone, she felt herself blanch slightly; it was Kagami was calling to video chat.

“Kagami! Hi!” Marinette smiled awkwardly after having gathered the courage to accept the call. “M-Merry Christmas!” She shifted her gaze to the seasonal decorations and lights in the background. It was getting to be sunset there in Japan; Kagami had been mindful of the time difference, that or Marinette’s inability to ever wake up early.

“A Merry Christmas to you too, Marinette.” Kagami greeted. “I just wanted to personally thank you for the Christmas gift.” She spoke with a small smile as she lifted the handmade omamori into view, the embroidered dragon shimmering. Kagami was going to be participating in her first Olympic game in the summer and had been training with her coach nonstop so, she found the gesture of a good luck charm from her friend to be very sweet.

“You’re welcome!” Marinette’s expression relaxed slightly relieved at how the package managed to arrive on time.

"It’s like 13:00 there, right? What are you still doing in your pajamas? Go get changed! You’ve managed to land a date with Adrien, right?” Kagami teased having mostly been in the loop about how well the two friends had gotten close. From all accounts, she had gathered that Adrien was actually also in love with Marinette, but too dense to notice despite the fact that all he ever seemed to talk about was her! “You told me not too long ago that you had given yourself the deadline of Christmas Eve to confess.” With how Kagami stressed how Christmas in Japan was considered to be a romantic holiday focused on couples, she believed that she had somehow convinced Marinette to quit hesitating about her confession.

Marinette had promised that she would have all of her feelings out in the open by the end of the year. Well, about that…” Marinette bit her bottom lip.

“Though whatever your plans are, there’s no way they’re going to be better than ours!” Kagami grinned as she looked to be waving to someone. “Nē! Over here!”

“Kagami, I got the orange juice you wanted.”

Marinette’s eyebrows lifted at the sound of the man’s familiar voice. “Wait a minute, that sounds like—”

“Yup!” Kagami grabbed onto her boyfriend’s arm and pulled him into view. “Luka’s got a new muse!” A confident, amused smirk formed on her face. “So, you can’t turn back now.” She spoke, having refrained from mentioning second chances at love.

“We all know there won’t be any of that, Mon Camélia.” A soft chuckle escaped Luka’s lips before he gazed at the screen. “Hey, Marinette. Merry Christmas!” He lifted a hand up to show off his new bracelet, one with a Viperion motif. “Thanks for the Christmas present. Penny told me you gave it to her for safekeeping until now.”

Marinette puffed her cheeks out slightly. “If I had known you two were together, I would’ve just put everything all in the same package!”

“It’s still new, so we’re taking things at our own pace considering our busy schedules.” Luka wrapped his arm around Kagami’s shoulder. “Can you believe we’re having a Christmas date at Tokyo Disneyland?”

“What?!” Marinette gasped as Luka and Kagami tried to show off a better view of the park. “Woah! It looks so different from the one here!”

The sound of an announcement chimed through the park. 「皆さまにお知らせいたします。 東京ディズニーリゾートの40周年記念した花火 「 Winter Wish!」が贈る最高に幸せなひとときにご期待ください。メリークリスマス！」

“Oh, the fireworks are going to start soon. We’ve got to go if we want to get a good view of the parade.” Kagami gasped. Luka nodded, ready to follow at her command.

“Go on and have fun on your date!” Marinette smiled with a wave. “We’ll catch up again soon!”

“Merry Christmas, Marinette!” The couple spoke in unison before ending the call.

* * *

“Think things will turn out okay?” Kagami murmured after having ended the call. She wouldn’t admit it, but she was getting seriously worried about her friends.

Luka gave her a reassuring smile as he took her hand in his. “Of course, it’s Marinette we’re talking about.” He hummed a bit to the faintly playing Christmas carols.

“Yes, but Adrien is Adrien.” She almost huffed as she huddled closer, she wasn’t particularly cold, but the warmth of her lover felt nice.

“Adrien is Chat Noir.”

The first flurry of fireworks began to boom.

Kagami was sure she’d just misheard. “Excuse me?

Luka shrugged his shoulders, thinking back on the whole Desperada episode. “Pretty sure Adrien is Chat Noir and Marinette is Ladybug.”

“You’ve got to be kidding!” Kagami was in absolute disbelief as she slapped her hand over her mouth. “Oh my god, if what you say is true, that would make so much sense! Adrien had a crush on Ladybug this whole time? Wait, then that means…”

“It means that, like us, they’ll be just fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to read about the Lukagami Christmas date they had before calling Marinette, you can do so here: [Winter Wishes](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24826252/chapters/68834193#workskin)  
> It's Chapter Two of _The Sound of Flowers_.


	20. Come Find Me

Tikki shook her head as she watched her guardian pace back and forth in a silent panic.

Marinette had spent the past few days pep-talking herself into recovery from her rejection and seemed completely confident in her decision to pursue Chat Noir up until very the last minute! She refused to break her promise to meet him though; she and Chat Noir had made arrangements to meet on Christmas weeks ago! But whether or not this holiday meetup would turn into a Christmas date was entirely dependent on how her confession to Adrien had gone.

Now, here she was, hyperventilating at the fact that she was going to make another declaration of love just days after her last. Marinette gazed at her reflection in the mirror, anxiety swelling in her chest enough to put her in the verge of tears. “Tikki, am I doing the right thing?”

“Marinette, you said you’ve made up your mind.” Tikki chirped reassuringly. “Trust in yourself! Follow your heart!”

“That’s just it, Tikki. No matter what I try to tell myself, my heart keeps coming to the same conclusion.” Marinette’s lips quivered into a smile as she gripped at the fabric over her chest. “I love Chat Noir. He’s really the one, isn’t he?” Wiping away her stray tears, she took in another deep breath. “He always has been…”

Tikki nuzzled against her cheek. “I can’t tell you that, but what I can tell you is that Plagg and I completely support you two finally getting together!”

“Pff. If that’s not a yes then I don’t know what is.” Marinette laughed as Tikki pulled away.

“Now, I have a little Christmas present for you. I’m going to modify your costume for the occasion and you’re going to be late if you spend too long staring at the mirror to admire my design skills!” Tikki glowed with excitement. “It’ll be the epitome of sparkling winter fashion!”

Marinette found Tikki’s spunky attitude today to be absolutely adorable. “Okay, okay.” She took a step back to make sure she was standing right in front of the mirror. “Spots on!”

In a flash of pink miraculous magic, her suit transformed into a Christmas outfit reminiscent of her ice power upgrade. Her dress was a red high-low dress with black collar and snowflakes rather than dots.

“Oh wow…” Marinette whispered in sheer awe. Twirling slightly, she admired all the little details Tikki decided to include.

Upon her head was a snow-crystal tiara that matched the belt around her waist which locked in her yoyo as a buckle accessory. She lifted her arms from below the matching caplet and looked down at her black gloves and boots which were lined with a snow-white trim. Securing the silver chain of her Tiffany & Co. ladybug pendant around her neck, the brightest smile bloomed on her face at how her friend had given her such a beautiful present as well as gifted her with all the courage she could possibly ever need.

Gently grazing her earrings, she closed her eyes and allowed a few stray tears to fall, finally able to make peace with her decision. “Thank you, Tikki.”

* * *

Tikki was totally right about her going to spend much too long admiring the design details. In a true Marinette fashion, she was going to run late! It appeared that it was going to be okay though, because the moment Ladybug emerged from the balcony, it began to snow and make for a White Christmas miracle.

As per a prior promise, Ladybug and Chat Noir met atop the Eiffel Tower on Christmas Day. Chat Noir, of course, had arrived first, never to leave his lady waiting. At the sound of her arrival, Chat Noir began to speak. “Merry Christmas, Buga—oof!"

In a flurry of excitement, Ladybug leapt forward and right into his arms. “Merry Christmas, Chat Noir!” Her smile was simply radiant, making his heart squeeze in his chest as she led him to the private room atop the tower.

Wonderstruck, Adrien almost felt like he couldn’t breathe; he was completely enchanted by the sight of her, his voice getting caught in his throat. There she was, the lady of his dreams, smiling right at him in the most dazzling dress. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him like he was the one to light up her life, and yet here he was, feeling like some mangy alley cat, undeserving of her affections.

Swallowing hard at how she looked more like a princess rather that a lady, he finally found the ability to speak. “You’re beautiful.”

“Thank you!” Ladybug gleamed, happy that her kwami had dressed her up for the occasion. “You’re—” Although their suits for the most part protected them from the harsh cold, Chat Noir for some reason opted to wear a scarf, one that was an all too familiar shade of blue. She suddenly clamped her lips shut, trying to write off the mismatching accessory off as some sort of coincidence as knowing that any thoughts of Adrien could have her spiraling out of control. Taking a second to compose herself, she finally revealed a small red and black polka dot gift-wrapped present. “You’re going to love what I made you!”

“T-Thank you.” Chat Noir twitched slightly before taking the gift and resting it on his lap. Her excitement was just pouring out and he couldn’t help but feel bad about not being able to match her enthusiasm. “I got you something too.” Subconsciously averting his gaze, he pulled out a familiar bakery box with gold lettering. “Sorry, I didn’t make them myself, but I did special order these cakes from the best patisserie in Paris!”

At the sight of the all too familiar bakery logo that she herself designed, Ladybug felt her heart stop. Her eyes flickered to the bottom right corner where she had drawn her signature. That special custom order was from Chat Noir… Ladybug was going to be the recipient of the cupcakes Marinette made; she could only imagine the face she was making and so avoided his gaze. “Thanks, Kitty!” She found herself say more so thankful at his bias toward her family’s establishment. Clenching her eyelids shut for just a moment, she lifted the lid of the box to reveal the very same cupcakes she had given her all into making. The rose shaped piped icing, the edible glitter reminiscent of snow, the fondant ladybug and black cat symbols, and the little white butterfly-shaped sprinkles. “Oh…” Biting her bottom she began to cut them in half. “I can’t possibly eat these all by myself!” Switching the pieces, she formed a whole new cupcake and lifted one up to her mouth to hide her expression. “Hm…! They’re delicious!” She noised, though she was more along the lines of giving herself a pat on the back for doing a pretty good job.

Originally, Chat Noir had planned to gift his Ladybug with a forever rose to express his eternal love, but after realizing that he also loved Marinette, well, he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t lie to his lady, she would hate that, and he in turn, would hate himself more. Locked away in a drawer, forbidden for now, Adrien had decided he couldn’t give that rose away until his feelings were sorted out. He was now beginning to understand how Ladybug felt, how painful it was to not to not be able to offer your whole heart to someone you love, but he’d promised Ladybug that he’d always choose to love her over anyone else. And that was what he was going to do, right?

When Ladybug shoved some cake into her partner’s mouth, Chat Noir was taken by surprise, having been too lost in his thoughts to really read her reaction. It was a last-minute decision to order some cake from the bakery, thinking it’d be best to not get Ladybug any material object that could potentially possess even the slightly bit of doubt; he was acting like such a scaredy cat.

After swallowing the cake, Chat Noir felt his throat get tight. It was the same flavor as the macarons Marinette had made him last Valentine’s Day. “Marinette…” Wondering just how unlucky he could be, he murmured her name, just knowing deep down that she was the one who made them. Subconsciously, he gripped at the scarf again, the feeling of slight suffocation returning. He thought it to be almost cruel how Marinette was the one who made the cupcakes he had ordered for Ladybug.

It was just barely above a whisper, but at the sound of her own name, Ladybug froze. Her eyes narrowed at the crook of his neck where she’d left love bites just a few days before; they were barely noticeable now, having faded almost completely. But he’d been trying to hide the marks with that blue scarf; the same blue scarf that—

She suddenly grasped the end of it and inspected the work. “Where did you get this scarf?”

Ridding his thoughts of the girl he once saw as a _just a good friend_ , he knew he needed to sound normal again, he needed to focus on his lady again. She was the one he was with in this moment, Ladybug, _not_ Marinette. “Hmm, it was a birthday gift from a few years back.” Chat nuzzled deeper into the scarf; he’d honestly wondered if she’d noticed.

Ladybug narrowed her eyes at him. “From who?”

“Dunno.” The boy shrugged his shoulders.

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“Well,” he began, his breath hot against her cheeks, “at first I thought that it was a gift from my father, but it turns out his secretary lied.”

“So, she didn’t tell you who it was really from?” Ladybug spoke in surprise.

Adrien bit the inside of his cheek; so, Ladybug knew that his father’s secretary was a woman and didn’t seem the least bit surprised to find out the truth about how her gift was stolen. “I thought about asking her, but decided against it. If the girl who really made this scarf is okay with me thinking it was from my father then I guess it’s fine. I just wish that I could let her know how happy it’s made me.”

“I’m…” Ladybug bit her bottom lip finally figuring it out. He knew that she was the one who made it, but didn’t seem to know just who exactly she was. “I’m sure she knows.”

“Does she now? What makes you so sure?” He purred as he leaned in closer.

“I just… _know._ ”

She recalled the moment when she apologized to Chat Noir’s future self for not being in love with him at the moment and he just laughed.

_“That’s just the thing, My Lady… **You already do… and always have.** ”_

Gazing into his eyes, knowing that they were truly green behind the mask, she felt her heart pound and her mind screaming as it began to piece together parts of a puzzle. Within just a few seconds, her mind went through a vast range of emotions— denial, anger, sadness, and absolute realization.

_“In time you’ll realize that **I’m the boy you’ve loved all along** , Bugaboo.”_

Subconsciously, Ladybug reached forward and brushed his hair into a style she was more used to seeing.

“Ladybug?” Chat Noir tilted his head, his blond locks falling into place.

Chat Noir, the person she’d rejected over and over for Adrien Agreste, they… were one in the same.

Adrien Agreste who broke her heart saying he loved someone else was Chat Noir— who was in love with Ladybug!

Chat Noir was Adrien and she’d manage to get him to kiss her until she felt better, to comfort her when he was in fact the same person who broke her heart— Oh, she was feeling so many things!

Plagg had told her that Chat Noir felt so guilty because he finally realized his crush on Marinette, which would mean she somehow made him fall for her twice! It also explained so much about the Chat Blanc timeline. He would be happy to know it was her beneath the mask!

Ladybug, now knowing what she did, felt like such a blind fool; it was almost laughable, and it probably was for their kwamis, albeit a bit frustrating.

_“Plagg and I completely support you two **finally getting together**!”_

All the teasing, all the double meanings, everything was so painfully obvious; they had each other spinning around each other in some ridiculous love square. Although Marinette knew she could fix this all by simply revealing herself, she suddenly realized, that it wouldn’t be any fun at all! No, she decided that they deserved more, that she wanted Adrien to put together the pieces and realize that his endgame was more than just Ladybug… that his soulmate was Marinette!

Suddenly, Ladybug took back the unopened present she had gifted to Chat Noir. “And that’s how I know, that this present should be saved for a different occasion.”

“H-Hey!” Chat Noir gasped. “Wha—”

“I’m so relieved…” Ladybug suddenly switched it out with little gift bag. “I didn’t think I’d ever find an opportunity to give this to you!”

Chat Noir tilted his head curiously like a kitten. “Wait a minute!” He noised, taking note of the gift tag addressed to his civilian self. “That’s—”

She pulled out a matching blue beanie and in one swift motion, placed it against his hair before pulling him to her. Planting a hot kiss against his lips, long enough to express her affections, but not long enough for him to react. “You see, I was actually going to confess my love to you today, but…” Their breaths intermingled, scorching hot in contrast to the frigid air. “I think it’s your turn.” She stood up with a playful smirk, taking in his dumbfounded expression before grabbing at her yoyo to take her leave. With her dress fluttering in the snowy wind, she gave one final command. “Come find me and confess to me… as Adrien!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug's outfit is just the Snowbug fashiondoll one  
> Is it considered an identity reveal if she figures it out on her own?  
> Oh, man I'm panicking because this chapter was just so meh, but the next one is going to be so fun!


	21. Teasing in Secret

> **Chat Noir:** My Lady, did you mean what you said earlier? About your plans to make a love confession…
> 
> **Ladybug:** Yeah, I did plan to confess to you, that’s why I was all dressed up and everything. Thought we could go on a Christmas date to Paris Disneyland or something after, but I changed my mind.
> 
> **Chat Noir:** Changed your mind as in you don’t love me? 😿
> 
> **Ladybug:** Lol, silly kitty, of course I do, seems like I always have, but I want us to properly start dating, as civilians.
> 
> **Chat Noir:** You know who I am beneath the mask so it’s completely possible. I purromise I’ll protect you from my fangirls!
> 
> **Ladybug:** Oh my, how could I possibly forgotten about those? Yes, yes, you were right, Kitty, but while I do swoon at the sight of your real face, I want you to know who I am beneath the mask before we do.
> 
> **Chat Noir:** You won’t reveal yourself to me?
> 
> **Ladybug:** Lol, nope.
> 
> **Chat Noir:** Will you give me a hint?
> 
> **Ladybug:** I gave Plagg the okay days ago, but it seems he’s been teasing you about my identity for years. Not my fault you can’t take a hint.
> 
> **Chat Noir:** Plagg doesn’t make any sense! Please, Bugaboo?
> 
> **Ladybug:** Bug Out! 💗
> 
> **Chat Noir:** Wait! Bugaboo!
> 
> **Chat Noir:** BUGABOO!!
> 
> **Chat Noir:** BUGABOOBOO!!
> 
> **Ladybug:** Fine!
> 
> **Chat Noir:** Yay!! Thank you, My Lady!
> 
> **Ladybug:** The hint is that I’m the girl you love most.

* * *

A few days after his conversation with Ladybug, it was the start of the new year and the first week back to school. And somehow, during all that time, Adrien still hadn’t figured out Ladybug’s identity. It didn’t help that she’d drop by his room to tease him about it either.

“Hey, Kid. Your girlfriend is here.” Plagg snickered.

Adrien had just walked out of the bathroom after having finished showering. “Girlfriend?” Confused, Adrien furrowed his brows slightly.

“That’s right! Your future girlfriend!” Ladybug spoke in a sing-song voice as she appeared on the frame of his open window. “Hello, Chaton.” Her wave transitioned into a motion that beckoned him to come closer.

“Ladybug!” Adrien gasped, having just returned from fencing, his scheduled allotted for about a thirty-minute break before having to head out to do an evening photoshoot. “Wow, I don’t get how you’ve got such perfect timing, like you know my schedule or something!”

“She does. She’s been stalking you for like fo—” A wheel of Camembert was suddenly rammed into the kwami’s mouth.

“Plagg!” Ladybug grumbled. “I said you could give him hints as to who I was, but you can’t just—”

“Stalker, huh?” A small chuckle escaped the blond boy’s lips; he knew he wasn’t one to talk considering his shrine of her hidden in the back of his closet.

“I do _NOT_ stalk you, that would be a crime. Er—” A hint of a blush bit at her cheeks. “I just may or may not use to have your entire schedule memorized, but that was in the past! I haven’t done it in like—Eep!” She squealed as Adrien lifted her up in his arms like a fairytale prince.

Curious as she could seem so light, even without super strength, he leaned in close to look into her ridiculously familiar bluebell eyes. “So future girlfriend, just who are you beneath the mask?”

“Oh, me? I’m just _your everyday Ladybug_.” Muffling a laugh, she poked his cheek.

Adrien felt his heart thump in his chest at her teasing response. “My everyday Ladybug, huh?” He then gave her the cutest kitten eyes. “You sure you really don’t want to elaborate?”

Ladybug resisted the urge to just come clean; love was just so blind and her kitty just so dense! “Come on, Adrien! You have to figure it out on your own!

“How can I _spot you_ if you don’t call the _spots off_?” Adrien huffed slightly. The lady of his dreams was here in his arms and was simply teasing at the opportunity to finally be his girlfriend. Admittedly, he found it cute, found her mischievous side sexy, and found himself falling all over again. He leaned in close; she could feel his breath against her lips. “That way we—"

“Nu uh! No can do!” She made a X-shape with her fingers to put some space in between them. “If I did that, I’m not confident that I could carry on in this position without fainting.” Marinette was sure that the mask granted her the power to speak with him so confidently (Tikki was internally giggling because it didn’t.)

“You like me that much?”

“Oh, I know that you like me more than you know.” Ladybug grinned playfully before giving his cheek a little peck. Knowing that she was her only competition, she had no problem stealing his heart all over again!

* * *

It was now the third anniversary of when Adrien’s mother Emilie disappeared and although he would like to think he’d healed over time, he knew he hadn’t.

“Adrien, are you okay?” Marinette whispered having taken note of how he’d been washing his hands at the sink for almost two minutes rather than twenty seconds.

Adrien stiffened slightly after having been broke out of his trance; she’d caught him by surprise. “Marinette…”

She suddenly ran up to him and reached up to touch his face. He felt her begin to wipe a few tears from his eyes and wondered just when did those get there?

“Come with me.” She spoke as she placed her hand in his.

Adrien shuddered slightly, the small spark of electricity between their hands should’ve had him pulling away, but instead he found himself somehow lacing his fingers with hers and clandestinely never wanting to let go.

After having led him out of the school, across the street and to Place des Vosges, Marinette sat him down on a park bench. “Wait right here, I’ll be back in a few minutes.” With a small, encouraging smile, she gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

All Adrien could do was nod as he took in the sights and tried to breathe in some fresh air as the atmosphere at home felt all too oppressing. The echoing sound of children laughing with their mothers not too far away made his heart ache, but only slightly; he just wanted clear his head.

Trying to focus anything else, he realized she’d seated him somewhere with a perfect view of the Ladybug & Chat Noir statue.

The last time they were here alone together, the last time they really spoke, he’d broken her heart.

He felt his own sink and his shoulders slump. “Marinette…”

“I told you that I’d be right back so there’s no need to look like an abandoned kitten in a cardboard box.”

He shot his head up to see Marinette standing before him with two beverage cups in hand.

“Here.” She said as she placed a steaming hot cup in his hands.

“T-Thanks…” He murmured before taking a sip; it was hot cocoa, prepared just the way he liked it— the same way Chat Noir liked it. Gripping the cup just a little tighter, he dropped his head down and stared at his lap before taking note of a familiar-looking yellow macaron making its way into his freehand. “What’s this?”

“What does it look like? It’s a macaron of course!” Marinette grinned as leaned back against the bench, looking up at the clear blue sky.

“T-Thanks again.” Adrien fidgeted and fiddled with the cutely wrapped package. “W-What flavor is it?” He spoke timidly, somehow afraid of the answer he’d receive.

“Passionfruit, your favorite.”

“Um…” He paused just as he began to lift the confection to his mouth. “I… um, didn’t know your parents ever sold passionfruit macarons.” Trying to make conversation, he made mention of the fact that every time he’d dropped by the bakery, there were never any macarons of this specific flavor.

“They don’t. I’d made this one especially for you.”

“C-Come on.” Adrien didn’t know why he was stuttering so damn much. “Not even you could make one of these in five minutes.”

“I made it on Sunday.” After taking a sip of her own drink, she hummed fondly. “I’ve been baking a single passionfruit macaron for you every Sunday for the past year or so.”

“You what—?” At the truth, his grip around the macaron loosened and he’d dropped it. All those Saturday nights he’d gone to her room to just hang out during Marichat time, all the times he heard about her crush… He should’ve known… he really should’ve known… he did know and that’s why he stopped visiting her balcony.

“Oops!” Swiftly, Marinette had caught the confection in midair. “Yeah, pretty crazy, huh? I was so in love with you that I used to bake your favorite flavored macaron every week, only to be too much of a coward to confess and give it to you.” She gently pressed it to his mouth and slipped it past his lips. “Old habits die hard so I accidentally baked one this time around. Lucky it didn’t have to go to waste.”

The familiar sweetness overtook his senses and he closed his eyes, somewhat pained at how bittersweet his own feelings were. He’d missed this taste, having been too much of a coward to approach her as Chat Noir the past few weeks, only choosing to hide in the shadows and watch from afar as he beat himself up mentally. “It’s delicious…” He swallowed hard, hesitant to meet her gaze before choosing to avert it completely. “I’m sorry, Marinette.”

“For what? You’re the one who’d missed out on all the macarons!” She resisted to urge to just stop telling him to apologize for his feelings by pretending to change the subject. “Well, thanks to that I was able to keep this cute stray well fed!”

“C-Cute stray?” Adrien coughed, almost burning his tongue with his drink.

“Yup! Every week I’d feed the leftover macaron to the silliest little kitty, though he’d stopped visiting me as of late— makes me a little lonely.” Tipping the lid against her lips once more, she was able to hide the Cheshire grin that’d formed on her face. “Seriously, that stupid black cat didn’t know how good he had it! Eating the passionfruit macaron that I’d made especially for _the_ Adrien Agreste! Granted he had to listen to me gushing about my crush on you, but—”

“Marinette…” He’d formed a thin line with his lips, feeling like an idiot for re-opening an old wound. “I’m really sorry that I couldn’t reciprocate your feelings at the time.”

“At the time?” Marinette mused as she tossed her empty cup into a nearby trashcan; they’d begun to make their way out of the park. She stood right before their statue, leaning up against it. “Are you going to reciprocate them now? After realizing how amazing I am?” Jokingly, she ran her fingers through her hair to flip it. The gesture caused her loose midnight locks to shimmer in the sunlight, a reminder of how soft, sleek, and beautiful it was.

Secured with a mended pink rose ribbon barrette, Marinette had begun wearing her hair down as of late. It was driving him wild. Adrien felt tempted to touch it, wanting to feel it in pools against his bare hands. Flashbacks of the last Marichat night flickered in his mind, a cruel reminder of how he’d run his gloved fingers through her hair, how they'd kissed each other senseless, and left marks that never truly faded.

His body stiffened at the sudden question, eyes noticeably shifting upward to the statue of Ladybug. “I—”

“Oh my god! You should see your face!” Marinette just burst out laughing. “What? Did I finally get you to notice me?” She was wiping a few tears from her eyes after having laughed so hard.

Adrien’s posture relaxed as he shyly looked back at her, rubbing the back of his neck bashfully before accidentally admitting the truth. “More like make me hyperaware.” Something about Marinette had changed; she was acting differently, like how she acted around Chat Noir, more vibrant, more relaxed, more…

 _Free_...

That was it. Marinette had finally been liberated. She had no reservations, no reason to hold back now that her feelings for him were out in the open.

Having seen him become more visibly relaxed, Marinette knew that he was starting to feel better. She’d remembered, even if everyone else had forgotten, that it was around the time of year that Adrien’s mother had gone missing. Certain that he still hurt, she wanted to provide a sweet little distraction as well as finally make up. Admittedly, a part of her was just being selfish, wanting to just be Adrien’s company as plain ol’ Marinette. They were falling back into step, as friends, and things were beginning to go back to the way they were. Well, not quite the way they were.

“Hm, then it’s still not enough.” Marinette let out a soft sigh before her voice adopted a more serious tone. “Adrien, I won’t deny that it hurt when you rejected me… but, it means so much that you care about me at all.”

“Of course! You’re my best friend!” He found himself saying how he truly felt. Adrien didn’t know why he was becoming such a mess around her. Yet at the same time, things were easy— talking to her, just being with her...

Marinette placed a finger to her lips. “Don’t tell Nino and Alya, but you’re mine too.”

“Your secret’s safe with me.” As he spoke, his voice just above a whisper, he took in her appearance once more, her shiny black hair spilling over her shoulders, her clear blue eyes, that cute dust of freckles against rosy cheeks— she was so pretty and he just couldn’t help but feel his heart pound and start wishing again.

Leaping upward just slightly, Marinette then sat on the column of their statue. “Are all my secrets safe with you?” The blinding light of the sun shimmered against her hair, giving it a halo effect, making her almost look like an angel as she looked down at him from above.

“O-Of course.” The stuttering was back; he looked up at her thunderstruck.

Her fingers began caressing his cheek; the feeling of her bare skin made his tingle at her touch and he found himself subconsciously leaning in and wanting more. A jolt of electricity ran down his spine as he felt Marinette lean forward, her lips just barely not touching his ear.

“Well, my other secret is that I’m…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Looks at hit count* It's OVER 9000!!!//shot dead.  
> Hmm... random, but I have this theory that the Gorilla's name is also Gabriel, but that would be confusing so they just call him "G" or "Gorilla." I mean, we have two Andres and Vincents in the series~  
> 🌸  
> Special thanks to Lady Kae for inviting me to join Discord.  
> Special thanks to MissNoodles for beta reading this chapter.  
> This chapter is dedicated to you guys as well as Frisian, BLUEMoonMessenger, SteelBlaidd, liminal.shadow, a_popcorn_kernel, and everyone else who welcomed me on the Miraculous Fanworks server.


	22. A Rose to the Future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's resolve that cliffhanger, shall we?

“Well, my other secret is that I’m never, ever going to stop loving you Adrien.” Marinette spoke in the most alluring voice before giving him a kiss on the cheek. “So, you’d better prepare yourself because I’m going to do everything in my power to give you the happiest future!”

At that declaration, Adrien felt the lid he’d placed on his feelings burst open. He knew he was screwed and prayed the butterflies in his stomach would just disappear— they didn’t. Being alone with Marinette like this was dangerous for his heart. He was so wrong— his newfound feelings for her hadn’t faded in the least!

* * *

At remembering the sight of Marinette’s ever-dazzling grin and the mischievous glint in her eye, he began to fear she was right. Completely lost in his own head, he was only pulled out of his thoughts when he suddenly felt a sharp pain prick his hand. “Ouch...” He murmured as he took note of the rose in his hand, the thorns large and sharp unlike the ones he was used to.

“What?” He looked forward and took note of the tiny rose bush before him, his mother’s statue nowhere to be found. His eyes widened in surprise and he began to whip his head around, trying to take in his surroundings. Gasping, he found himself in an unfamiliar garden behind a cute little cottage. “Where am I?” He looked down at his own clothes and noticed that they were completely black with green stitching and paw print accents. “And _what_ am I wearing?”

“Adrien, won’t you please come inside?”

His body stiffened and hesitantly turned to see a woman in a red and black polka dot sundress running up to him. Her hair was impossibly long, secured in a loose braid, and her eyes were covered with a familiar pair of polka dot patterned sunglasses.

“Ladybug…” He breathed the name causing her to halt and backpedal.

“L-Ladybug…?” By the expression on her face, she somehow seemed to be looking confused. “Yeah, but why—"

“Hey, you two! There seems to be an emergency going on!” Two people suddenly began to approach, a couple dressed in coordinated outfits printed with serpents and flowers.

“Sorry to peek at your phone, but we saw it was an urgent text from Pixie Girl.” The man with blue hair and eyes spoke as he handed the phone to the woman dressed in the Ladybug themed ensemble.

Shifting his gaze over to the other woman, despite her hair now reaching past her shoulders and her abdomen showing her to be very pregnant, Adrien was sure as to who he was looking at.

“L-Luka and Kagami?!” Adrien gasped with his eyes as wide as saucers.

“Yeah… okay…” Kagami narrowed her eyes at him, somewhat suspicious before turning back to Marinette. “What’s up with your husband this time?”

“Oh no!” After taking a glance at her phone, Ladybug’s face visibly blanched before she turned to him. “You’re not _My Adrien_ , are you!?”

“I—I… what’s going on?” He spoke as he suddenly felt all eyes on him.

“Time travel again?” Luka questioned, his kwami suddenly peering over his shoulder.

“Lookss like itt.” Sass spoke.

“Oh my, looks like there’s quite a problem here.” Longg peered out from behind Kagami’s hair.

“BUNNYX!” Ladybug suddenly shrieked as she snatched the rose out of his grasp.

“Sorry, I’m late!” Bunnyx suddenly popped out of her Burrow with multiple large wheels of Camembert. “Had to go shopping, you’re going to need these for the next few days. Plagg’s with you right?”

“Uh…” Adrien lifted his shirt pocket to see Plagg totally knocked out, asleep. “Yeah?”

“Just as planned then.” Bunnyx spoke before dropping them into Luka’s arms who then turned to bring them back into the house. Thank goodness there was an extra refrigerator for all that.

“Hey, wait a minute, Adrien’s earrings are gone!” Kagami gasped as she motioned to Adrien.

Ladybug immediately lifted the side of his hair to confirm that what she’d just heard is true. “Wait, where’s the Ladybug Miraculous?! Where’s Tikki!?!” She then grabbed his right wrist to see the camouflaged ring on his finger. “Oh no… no, please don’t tell me—”

“They’re gone for now.” Bunnyx lifted a hand to signal for her friend to stop freaking out. “Relax, Ladybug. It’ll only be for a few days.”

“Wait, but what about—!!”

“I promise there will be no akumas.” Bunnyx spoke, completely sure; there hadn’t been in almost two months. “If there were, I’d have used my Burrow to switch them back right away.”

Ladybug bit her bottom lip nervously before turning to Adrien to ask him a question. “Adrien, how old are you right now?” 

He fidgeted slightly, trying to not internally scream at how her bare skin felt like sparks that tingled against his. “S-Seventeen.”

“And you still don’t know who Ladybug is?” Kagami covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hide her amusement at how flabbergasted her friend looked. “Oh man, this is going to be fun for you!” She teased Ladybug, giving her shoulder a consolatory pat before turning to her old crush. “Adrien, I would personally like to thank you for breaking my heart.”

“S-Sorry—!?"

“Oh, don’t worry about it. I really dodged a bullet; there’s no way I could tolerate a husband who leaps back and forth through time, let alone a weeb that makes puns all day.” Kagami was trying and failing at stifling her laughter at her best friends’ dilemma.

Ladybug just groaned as she pulled her hand away to cross her arms and stomp her heel. “Hey!”

“What? Would it really that much of a _drag_ on to have a husband who made puns, Mon Camélia?” Luka spoke with a completely straight face after having returned, making Ladybug burst out laughing at the slight payback. Her sudden laughter took Adrien by surprise at how much he adored the sound.

With her smile instantly shifting into an unamused frown, Kagami elbowed his side, eliciting a small chuckle from Luka. “If we were actually married, I would seriously consider a divorce after having just heard that.”

Marinette placed one hand on Kagami’s shoulder while lowkey preparing her other. “Oh, don’t even lie, we all know that you’d give him a—”

“Second Chance!” Luka and Adrien delivered the punchline all while fist-bumping Ladybug, making Bunnyx just hold back a snort before coughing to capture her composure.

Ladybug made a noise of utter victory and Adrien felt his heart soar. It was like a dream come true! His future Lady really would make puns!

“Leaving!” Kagami’s face flared red as she pulled away from the other girl. Her friends all began to laugh at how she’d walked right into that pun. “ _Now!_ ” She huffed slightly as she pinched at the end of Luka’s sleeve.

Luka whispered a small goodbye to Sass, Kagami doing the same with Longg as they both removed their Miraculouses and placed them in their kwami’s possession.

“Think we’ll see ourselves out, seeing as you’re going to have your hands full.” Wrapping an arm around his lover, Luka gave a small wave.

“Have fun babysitting, _Ladybug_.” Leaning in, an all too amused aura radiating far more than any pregnancy glow should, Kagami only stuck her tongue out before taking her leave with him.

“W-What?! Hey!” Ladybug huffed at how the couple looked like they were ready to double over laughing before turning back to Bunnyx. “Why can’t you just switch them back now?” She pulled the heroine aside and hissed.

Plagg had woken up and Adrien began to get him up to date as to what had apparently just happened.

“Trust me, both Adriens will be all the better for it if you just let things play out on their own.” Bunnyx swore as she poked Marinette’s cheek. “Come on, you want him to heal as fast as possible, don’t you?”

Marinette eventually slumped her shoulders; despite his attempts to act like things were fine, she knew her husband was still hurting after all that had happened between him and his family. “Fine…” She grumbled as Bunnyx backed up into her Burrow.

“If it makes you feel better, you can tease this one all you want about your secret identity again. He still has no clue and it’s objectively so damn funny!” Bunnyx waved before disappearing once more in her Burrow.

“Pff— Seriously?” Marinette almost snorted at the sort of consolation prize she’d been dealt. In hushed whispers, she then instructed Longg and Sass to inform the other kwamis of the situation and implement precautions. Taking a deep breath, she started to make her way back to Adrien. “All right, let’s get inside. I can’t very well leave my Chaton out here in the cold, now can I?”

“U-Um, right...”

Ladybug slipped her hand into his, making his face flush. “You really don’t have any idea who I am?” Tilting her head slightly, she did her best to sympathize. She couldn’t help but remember how she had kept up the charade for weeks— teasing her identity and tugging at his heartstrings as both Marinette and Ladybug. “Not even the teeniest little clue?”

“N-No…” He answered all too quickly, not wanting to admit there was someone he had in mind. Swiftly, he averted his gaze and his heartbeat pounded in his ears leaving him unable to even focus or think clearly. “I’m sorry.” If his cat ears were on, Marinette would bet that they’d be visibly drooping.

“Hm… it’s fine. It’s not your fault.” She resisted the urge to call her younger self a brat, now knowing that it would cause problems at times like these. “You’ll know soon enough.” Glancing at the house through the sliding glass door and taking note of how all the picture frames were properly hidden, she welcomed him inside.

“Oh… wow...” Adrien murmured at the decor; while the area was small, it made effective use of space and gave off a very well lived-in vibe. “This place… it’s nice.”

“Well, you’d better think so considering it was your idea to move here!” Marinette giggled as she opened up a nearby drawer and pulled out a Ladybug mask, a souvenir from the old Clara Nightingale music video. There was a Chat Noir one in there too; the props would prove to be useful at times like these.

“So, this is our home?” He spoke in awe, trying to commit the architectural design to memory as the woman behind him turned and switched out her sunglasses for the mask.

Marinette’s lips pursed into a thin line as she thought back to Adrien’s lonely childhood. “Yes, you said you always wanted to live in a place like this; kind of the exact opposite of that huge empty mansion you grew up in.” Their humble home was going to be the ideal place to raise a tight knit family, or at least, that was the plan.

Adrien took note of the kwamis fluttering around, trying to help clean up a few pink floral decorations. “Did you have a party?”

“Yeah, just finished hosting Kagami’s baby shower. All of the Miraculous users were here to help celebrate.” Marinette mused, having been able to reuse a bunch of the decorations from her own baby shower after just adding some floral accents to represent Kagami’s daughter, transforming them into something completely new. “Have you eaten yet?” She presented him with a small platter of leftover baked goods. “It’s still too early for dinner, but you can have these to munch on for now.”

“Wow!” At the sight of all the pastries, Adrien’s stomach began to growl. He blushed bashfully before grabbing a croissant and taking a bite. “These are delicious!” He spoke before realizing how familiar the taste was; it was the same as that from the Dupain-Cheng bakery. “Did Marinette make these? Was she here for the baby shower?”

At hearing the question, her body stiffened and she found herself beginning to fidget around with the troublesome rose from earlier. “O-Oh yes. Of course.”

“So, I’m still friends with her in the future…” Adrien’s shoulders began to visibly show relief as she served him a soothing cup of tea. “I’m so glad.”

“Oh Adrien…” Feeling guilty at how amusing she found his obliviousness, she gave his cheek a fleeting stroke. “You and Marinette are still the best of friends.”

* * *

Finding the exchange to be absolutely gag worthy, Plagg had chosen to become a curious cat and took the opportunity to explore the place on his own.

The place was fairly small, probably just about twice as large as Adrien’s bedroom at the mansion. There was a kitchen, dining room, spacious living room, two bathrooms, and three bedrooms: the master, one used as a design studio/office, and…

After having stumbled onto a certain scene, what he saw caused him to scream. “AHHH!!”

“Plagg! Plagg! What’s going on?” Adrien shouted as he followed Ladybug who began to dash over to another part of the house.

“What?” She began in a small whisper, panting to catch her breath. “What’s wrong?”

“Th-th—” Plagg began to whimper as he pointed down to the crib.

Adrien’s eyes widened as he looked down at the contents. There, another Plagg was purring as he slept beside the tiniest little human Adrien had ever laid eyes on. The baby’s face began to contort at the sudden sound. “Emma…?”

“Hn—” She began to hiccup. “W-Wah…”

The Plagg beside her began to stir, his ear lifting at the subtlest change in her breathing. Irritable, he opened his eyes before floating over to Adrien and grabbing his collar. “Kid, what did I tell you about waking up the kitten?! I swear I’ll Cataclysm you myself if—”

The baby suddenly began to wail, making Plagg turn his attention back to her in an instant. “Minette! Minette, it’s okay!” He grabbed a pacifier and tried to put it in her mouth only for her to pull away and cry more.

“Minette…?” Adrien’s voice hitched in his throat. “What?”

“Ah!! This is just too much! Help me, Adrien, M—” Bubbles suddenly flew forth from the future Plagg’s mouth leaving him utterly confused. “M—” He tried again.

The present Plagg, astonished, floated before his flustered future counterpart and lifted up his paw to motion toward his holder. “Time travel.”

“Seriously!” The future Plagg took note of Marinette wearing a Ladybug mask then threw the pacifier against the side of the crib, the sound a comical squeak. “I ain’t got time for this! Someone just fix Minette!” The little black cat tugged his ears down and groaned.

“Minette?” Adrien turned to Ladybug who had scooped up her daughter and began to cradle her close. “What about Emma?”

“Shh… it’s okay, it’s okay.” Ladybug spoke in a soothing voice while cradling the child gently in her arms. “Emma? Oh, right! This is Emma! Don’t worry, there isn’t some secret love child or alternative timeline you don’t know about.” She promised with a chuckle, moving in closer so he could get a better look. “ **Em** ilie **M** inette **A** greste. Emma for short! Make sense?” She decided not to list her daughter’s full name as it would probably give more spoilers than she was sure he could deal with.

“So **_cute_**!” Adrien felt himself gushing, garnering Emma’s attention. Suddenly falling silent, she began reaching for him, as if knowing who he was. Immediately, she grasped onto his right ring finger. “Awww, may I please hold her?”

Marinette bit her bottom lip before letting out another small laugh. “Of course, she’s your— she’s going to be your daughter.” Gently, she placed her in his arms, instructing him on how to hold her correctly.

Awestruck, Adrien felt something similar to a sweet heartache as his future daughter blinked at him and smiled before letting out a noise similar to a dreamy yawn. “She’s so small, so warm…” He held her closer, feeling as though she was a precious treasure that needed to be protected at all costs! As she began to close her eyes, he took note of something shiny in her hand— the Black Cat Miraculous. “Emma, that isn’t a toy.” He murmured as he began to reach for her tiny hand.

“Oh! Wait! Don’t!” Ladybug exclaimed as she placed her hand on his shoulder. “She won’t let anyone take it from her, she cries without it and Plagg’s extremely overprotective of his newest kitten!” She spoke in warning. “That’s why my husband was wearing the Ladybug Miraculous— she won’t give his back.” Running her fingers through her bangs to scratch at her scalp, she let out a soft sigh. “So, please be careful she doesn’t get yours too.”

Marinette was still going through her postpartum recovery and with all the stressors of her civilian life never taking a break, her husband had taken on the mantle of Mister Bug once more. Maternity leave was only supposed to be for a few weeks, until she felt like herself again, but Plagg was more than willing to stay out of the action and instead spend time with the newest member of their family. There hadn’t been akumas around, but occasionally they would be contacted to join in on hero missions around the globe, if not the galaxy.

“All right, I understand.” Adrien nodded as his gaze began to wander around the room.

Taking note of the over the top design of the nursery, the endless amount of toys (including a white polka dot Mr. Cuddly with rose crystal eyes which he was sure was from Chloé), and the sheer overwhelming amount of affection he could feel radiating from both Plaggs and Ladybug, Adrien knew one thing about Emma for sure.

Nuzzling his forehead against his future daughter’s, Adrien couldn’t help but smile; he was so happy to meet her again. “You’re going to grow up to be such a spoiled Little Purrincess…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted Kagami to call Adrien a weeb.  
> Also this is what I imagine older (late twenties) Luka and Kagami to look like with their daughter Kanon.  
> 


	23. Someone to Cherish

“Adrien…”

“Adrien…”

“Adrien!!”

Adrien’s eyes shot open after having winced at the feeling of the rose thorn pricking his skin. Blinking a few times to adjust to bright sunlight, he felt somewhat disoriented. The last thing he remembered was that he had gone to the backyard garden to pick a rose for his wife. And the last he saw, the sun was beginning to set, the sky once indicating dusk had now transformed into that of midday.

Meeting the large bug eyes of his temporary kwami, his vision adjusted to take note of the fact that he was standing in front of a statue that should no longer exist— a statue of his mother. “What’s going on?” He cringed at the sight, a knot twisting in his stomach.

“I— Eep!” The kwami swiftly hid in his pocket.

“Adrien, what are you still doing out here? Come along, your lunch break is almost over.” A voice he thought he never thought he’d hear again called for him.

“Nathalie…” Adrien suddenly felt a flood of emotion overwhelm him as he slowly turned to see a woman who he never thought he’d see again. “Nathalie!” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight. “Is it really you?”

Adjusting her glasses slightly, she raised a brow at him, before clearing her throat. “Adrien, I believe your father would find the way you’re acting to be inappropriate.”

Adrien stepped back in an instant, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “Sorry! I—” He couldn’t think up an excuse, his mind in absolute disbelief.

“Adrien, are you feeling ill? Shall I speak to your father about—”

“I— I’m fine!” He found himself lying like a child. “I just—” Taking in his surroundings, he realized that he was back in his old home. Glancing at the rose in hand, he took note of the very tip of the thorn glimmering with an eerily enchanted glow. “I, uh, just need a few minutes.” He dashed back into the house, up the stairs, and into his old room.

“Bunnyx?” He almost hissed after closing the door behind him as Tikki flew out and took the rose in her arms.

“It’s about time you showed up!” Bunnyx hollered after having been messing with the foosball table. “Sup!”

“What’s going on?! Am I the victim of time travel,” slumping down onto his old mattress, he began to groan, “AGAIN?”

“Let’s be honest, like when are you not?” Stretching slightly before making her way over, she kneeled before Adrien and pointed to the rose. “The magic effect of the enchanted rose lasts about three days.” She held a hand up knowing he was about to argue. “Sounds like something out of a fairytale, I know, and while I could switch you and your younger selves back, your wife has already agreed to letting you spend some much-needed time here.”

“She agreed to **_WHAT_**?” Adrien furrowed his brows as Tikki began to shift his hair back to its old style, a vat of styling product in hand.

When Tikki was done, she hovered away to admire her work before taking her chance to speak. “Adrien, I’m sure Marinette has a good reason for it.”

“And what reason would that be?” Grumbling as he crossed his arms, even Adrien found his own irritability to be uncharacteristic. Biting his bottom lip, he dropped his arms to his sides in utter defeat. His Marinette thought he needed some time away. “What about Emma?”

“Mini You has got ya covered.” Displaying an image on her burrow; Adrien watched as his younger counterpart smiled and coddled Emma with love and affection, Marinette by his side— that should’ve been him, should’ve been how things were, but they weren’t. “You haven’t been yourself as of late and we all know why.”

“W-What do you mean?” Adrien’s color began to drain from his face. “I don’t know—”

“Considering how dense you can be—” Bunnyx tapped her finger against her chin as if in deep thought.

"Or how you wallow in denial for way too long!” Tikki chirped.

Bunnyx nodded in agreement. “I’m going to spell it out for you.” She grabbed his shoulder and pointed outside the window and to where Nathalie and the Gorilla were waiting by the car. “You need to come to terms with how you felt about Nathalie. You lost her, she disappears without warning, and there’s nothing any of us could do to stop her. Her fate was of her own choosing… it was… inevitable…” Gazing down, almost pained to have to deliver the ugly truth, Bunnyx gave Adrien’s shoulder a firm squeeze. “I know it isn’t long, but you can spend three days here without any interruption whether it be from akumas or anything else… wouldn’t you like to make the most of this opportunity?”

As Adrien’s fingertips made contact with the glass, he knew he was wanting to reach out to her— the woman he should’ve treasured more.

Closing his eyes, his mind flashed back to their final battle against Hawkmoth…

* * *

Adrien and his wife sat with their backs against each other, struggling against the ropes and seemingly helpless as Mayura took away the Ladybug Miraculous. Marinette gritted her teeth as the transformation came undone.

“Father, please! Don’t do this!” Adrien pleaded. 

Hawkmoth held the Black Cat Miraculous in his clutches before handing it to his assistant who then walked off and disappeared among the vast amount of machinery which at its center held Gabriel’s wife, Adrien’s mother, Emilie. “We can save your mother, using your miraculous and hers.”

“No… just stop…” He winced as he felt Marinette tug at their binds in urgency.

“I’m doing it for her, Adrien, for you… for us. All of it!” Hawkmoth’s fingers ran across the clear structure which encapsulated the mother who Adrien thought had simply up and disappeared.

To Adrien, the glass casket was like something out of fiction— sick, twisted, sad really.

“I—"

“We’ve been at this for years and for what? Your dead wife? Adrien’s moved on so why can’t you?” Marinette spat before taking a stand, the rope binds finally having come undone. “I can’t believe that even after how poorly you treated your own son, I still chose to retain some sort of respect for you! You have a grandchild on the way, Gabriel— a new Emilie to love!”

“Enough!” Hawkmoth struck his staff down, the sound echoing throughout the lair. “That’s enough! No one can replace my Emilie! No one!”

Marinette didn’t flinch, her gaze unwavering as she continued to move forward, step by step. “A person’s existence can never be replaced! This Miraculous are not meant to be used this way— there will be a terrible price to pay in exchange and for balance to exist in the universe, someone else’s life will be sacrificed.”

Hawkmoth’s words were like poison, spoken like a true villain. “I don’t care about anyone else—"

“It chooses someone close to you!” Marinette spoke with tears in her eyes; she knew, being the Guardian, she learned the dark secrets of what an equivalent exchange truly was. “What if it’s Adrien’s life that’s chosen?”

“My Lady!” Adrien gasped as he also took a stand. Without the magic of the Miraculous, they were up against Hawkmoth as their civilian selves— breakable, human, mortal! He had to keep them safe, protect his wife and their child— his daughter was to be born any day now!

“I can’t let that happen! I won’t let that happen!” Marinette began running toward Hawkmoth, and Adrien gave chase after her.

As Marinette approached, mere inches away, Hawkmoth grabbed her by the throat and drew a blade from his staff. “You can’t stop me! You never could!”

“No!” Adrien screamed as he tried to grab his father’s wrist.

Struggling to move, Hawkmoth dropped his blade slightly before piercing the tip of it into his own son’s shoulder.

Adrien screamed in pain, falling to his knees. “Father…”

“H-How dare you!” Marinette managed to choke out the words as she clawed at her father-in-law’s arm.

“Just stop!” Adrien pleaded. He struggled to look up at his family and in that moment, he realized that they could never all be on the same side. “Please…”

Furious, the fight-or-flight mechanism began to kick in for Marinette. With her last bit of strength, she managed to swing her leg upward to try and kick Gabriel in the throat, however she missed, but managed to kick the Miraculous brooch right off and into the body of water below.

Hawkmoth de-transformed back into Gabriel. “What have you done!?” He howled just before Marinette swung her body around once more. Twisting his arm as she bent back his wrist, she slammed him as hard as she could against the ground before grabbing his throat with both hands.

“I won’t let you destroy our happiness!” Marinette declared; in that moment even she was willing to no longer act a hero— Even against the world, the love between Ladybug and Chat Noir would conquer all, not be their downfall!

Adrien took note of a glow not too far away and then remembered… “Mayura!” Gritting his teeth to bear the pain, he ran toward her and screamed her name before falling at her feet.

There she stood wearing multiple miraculous with what looked to be an entirely different kwami. With the Guardian of the Miraculous tome in hand, magic began to swirl around her as the ritual began to take its effect. “I’m sorry, Adrien.”

“Nathalie…” He whispered her name as he weakly grasped at her ankle and looked at the woman he had hoped all this time would save his father.

And by the look in her eye, even Nathalie thought she almost could.

“I wish…”

* * *

Feeling tears begin to pool in his eyes, Adrien clenched his eyelids shut to stop them from falling. Gripping onto his own shoulder where he would occasionally feel a phantom stabbing pain, he began to try and take a few deep breaths to calm himself.

Adrien knew he had to get better, he had promised he would, but no amount of therapy could fix what he’d gone through; he had tried, but being in the situation he was required him to still keep too many secrets.

After the return of his mother, things were never quite the same and it was only then he realized he had only ever remembered the good in her. Not the kind of mother she really was: co-dependent and insistent of him staying locked away from the outside world.

Figuring out why he still clung to the idea of his biological family ever getting better was beyond him. Everything all at once had made him lash out, unable to forgive. It wasn’t healthy and Adrien was still beating himself up over it. But perhaps, it just didn’t feel heroic to give up.

“Adrien…” Tikki, trying to be more understanding of the situation, patted his cheeks and wiped away the tears that split from his eyes. “All this pain, all these unresolved feelings— it all comes from a place of unconditional love.”

Taking the sweet little goddess of creation in his palms, he nuzzled her against his cheek. “Thank you…”

Love, that was it. Even after all he had been through, no matter how illogical it seemed, he still loved his father and his mother.

But there were people he loved even more than his parents now.

And someone he wanted to take the opportunity to cherish despite knowing he’d still lose her.

* * *

Having taken a few minutes to compose himself, Adrien and Tikki had devised a plan to get through the weekend.

First order of business was to get through the last few hours of school. Stepping into the car, Adrien feigned feeling unwell to set the stage for Nathalie to think that he was catching some sort of bug. He was able to insist that he shouldn’t miss his last few classes before the start of the weekend.

Stepping back into Françoise Dupont was truly hitting home the whole “blast from the past” feeling. He hadn’t been back since graduation, never having felt the need to since he and his wife kept in touch with most of their old classmates considering the fact that a majority had also been Miraculous users.

It also hit home that despite being a 20-year-old adult, he could still pass for a 17-year-old teenager. Adrien almost pouted, he had thrown on a baggy Gabriel brand hoodie to hide his broader physique earlier, but he was seriously lacking in the facial hair department, only having grown a few faint whiskers here and there.

Taking his seat, he watched in silence as his unsuspecting classmates flooded into the room… all except Marinette.

Adrien looked down into his shirt and met the gaze of Tikki who simply shrugged.

The bell was going to ring in just a few seconds which meant that…

The sound of the bell chimed and Marinette crashed through the door.

Adrien immediately dropped his head and slapped a hand over his mouth to stop himself from laughing out loud.

Marinette was definitely still Marinette— late as usual!

After finally calming his breathing, Adrien took note of someone holding out a cutely packaged yellow macaron: one shaped like a heart. Marinette was smiling that same happy smile that graced him every morning, however for some reason the eyes of the girl before him twinkled with mischief.

“I brought you dessert!” Marinette announced without a single stutter.

Adrien placed his hand over the macaron in hers before twisting it slightly so that he could kiss the inside of her wrist. “Mmm, sweet as always,” he flashed her a Cheshire cat smile and winked, feeling her pulse suddenly quicken, “My Princess.”

“Pu-Purr—Princess?!” Her face flared red, so hot one could think smoke could escape through her ears.

“Dude…” Nino whispered.

“Oh my god!” Alya immediately squealed, having caught the whole thing on her camera. “Marinette!”

Adrien looked up at her confused; it was like Marinette.exe stopped working. Her eyes went into a trancelike state and he suddenly felt her begin to slip backward. Grabbing onto her wrist, he stood up and grabbed her shoulder to keep her upright. “Marinette, was that too much? I’m sorry!”

“What’s going on?!” Alix gasped.

Rose squealed. “Ahh!! Adrien looked just like a storybook prince!” 

“Awesome...” Juleka murmured.

Chloé huffed. “Adrikins, what are you doing?!” 

“What do you mean?” Adrien spoke in slight panic, trying to choose his words carefully. “Am I still only courting Marinette?”

“You’re courting her?!” Alya gasped. “She never told us that!”

Nino burst out laughing. “Does Marinette know?”

Completely knocked out cold was Marinette and a small smile tugged at the corners of Adrien’s lips as he picked her up in his arms. “I guess she will soon then.” He chuckled before lifting her up in his arms walking off to the infirmary.

Munching on the macaron as he walked back to the classroom, Adrien realized that his younger self was probably still in the midst of being played with by Ladybug and Marinette. He remembered her teasing driving him crazy for weeks until he found out.

How did he find out again? He stopped in his tracks and realized he couldn’t remember, memories were a blur, but he knew for sure they got together on Valentine’s Day of their final year of lycée. He gazed down at his phone to take note of the exact date, absentmindedly having forgotten to do so earlier. “Valentine’s Day’s this upcoming Monday… So that means…”

Tikki popped her head out from underneath his shirt. “What, Adrien?”

Groaning slightly at how overly complicated time travel could be, he threw his head back from how it messed with his memories. “My wife’s going to be the one who helps Mini Me figure out who Ladybug’s true identity is!” It was now or never, really.

As Miss Bustier left to call Marinette’s parents, Adrien took a stand at the front of the classroom to make an announcement. “Hey everyone. I apologize for acting out of character. I know that Marinette’s got a crush on me and it seems I realized that I like her back, so, I’m officially asking Marinette out on Valentine’s Day. Thank you everyone for having kept her secret so long, despite how frustrating it may have seemed. Please give us your support!” He bowed his head a little, after this, there would be no turning back.

The class majority erupted in applause.

“Ridiculous, utterly—”

“Ridiculous, isn’t it? How I hadn’t asked her out sooner?” Adrien mused at the younger Chloé; she’d only change for the better and that gave him some comfort.

“Hmph.” She noised before crossing her arms with a pout; he could see it in her body language, she was a tad hurt, but not too badly. “Whatever makes you happy.”

“Thank you, Chloé.” Gently, Adrien placed a hand on her shoulder before giving it a comforting squeeze. He’d promised that they’d stay friends forever and that was true at any point in time. “I appreciate your concern, but I can assure you that Marinette is…” Even still, he did need some reassurance that Chloé would be on their side for this. With confidence, he began to speak once more. “Marinette is... my future.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so determined to make it through LadyNoir July, but I finally failed. Haha.  
> The prompt for the 17th was _Future_ and I was just not having it what with working on this whole series. LOL


	24. This Reality Worth Living

Deciding to ditch his scheduled fencing lesson, Adrien ran across the park and to Tom and Sabine’s Boulangerie. He needed to fetch some cookies for his Tikki and if at all possible, sit and have a quick chat with his (at this point in time) yet-to-be in-laws.

* * *

Securing away a weekend’s worth of baked-goods into his messenger bag, Adrien took his leave, waving to Tom and Sabine. “Thank you kindly, the both of you.”

“Take care, Son.” Tom ruffled his hair.

“We look forward to having you over for lunch on Monday, Dear.” Sabine patted his cheek gently.

And as if with perfect timing, Adrien took note of his chauffeur driving up with Nathalie in tow. “You could’ve asked us to pick you up if you weren’t feeling well.” 

“Marinette took note of my condition and suggested I drop by. Sabine has a recipe for honey ginger tea that seems to work wonders. I feel a little better, but still not at one hundred percent.” Adrien fibbed before giving the Gorilla a courteous nod as he slid into the back seat.

Tapping away at her tablet, she began to speak again. “If Madame Cheng has so kindly shared her recipe, I’ll send it to the chef to have him recreate it at home.” 

“Nathalie, may I ask that you—"

“I’ve already cancelled and rescheduled this weekend's photo shoot. Just don’t mention it to your father.”

Though they both had their doubts that he’d be showing up at any point; it was moments like these that Adrien realized he had not appreciated her thoughtfulness enough.

However, he only felt a little guilty at how he wanted to manipulate that kindness for himself for just a little longer.

“Thank you, Nathalie.”

* * *

When Adrien opened his eyes, he took note of a hand stroking his hair somewhat awkwardly. The feeling wasn’t particularly warm or affectionate, but as a cat who liked pats it was still soothing nonetheless.

Snuggling further under the covers, Adrien couldn’t help but feel that while it’d been so long since he got a full eight or so hours of sleep, things felt a little too quiet. He’d gotten used to running on empty, what with trying to keep the company afloat and taking care of a newborn baby. While his wife was up too many hours of the day, once she was finally asleep, she was nearly impossible to wake up. This meant that while Marinette snoozed, Adrien was the one who always shot out of bed at the slightest sound. It wasn’t until recently that he’d found out how to get Emma to calm down her crying— his Miraculous. Emma had snatched the ring right off his finger and refused to let go! Plagg, however, adored Emma and was overprotective of his newest kitten, spending any free moment he had by her side.

Stirring slightly, Adrien took note of the early morning rays of sun and the wafting aroma of coffee. Coffee, right, Nathalie never truly was Nathalie without her morning cup of coffee.

At the familiar scent, Adrien’s eyes shot open to see Nathalie at his bedside, reading one of the many books she had kept in his room.

He held in a sigh before meeting her gaze, their relationship and feelings having come into light the night before.

* * *

After a light dinner of soup, Adrien had found himself sitting with Nathalie in her office.

She tapped away at her keyboard for a good while as Adrien lied on a nearby couch, occasionally stealing glances in (attempted) secret. “Adrien, are you sure you wouldn’t be more comfortable getting rest in your own room?”

“Am I a bother, Nathalie?” He always did wonder about this.

“No,” she spoke curtly, “but perhaps I’m just a bit curious as to why you’d suddenly prefer to be here over resting in your own bed.”

“I just wanted to be in your company.” Adrien’s eyes then shifted to her computer screen, taking note of how she seemingly navigated through the program. “Speaking of company, I was wondering how the brand was run.” Pulling up a chair beside her, he tilted his head like a curious kitten. “There were parts of this program I was still struggling with…”

Nathalie let out a cough causing Adrien to pause. “I’m fine.” She whispered, seeing how the blood seemed to drain from his face like he was scared for dear life. “I was just surprised at your sudden interest in business management.” She took note of Adrien beginning to rub the back of his neck and bite his bottom lip. Choosing to ignore the boy’s nervous tic, she turned her attention back to the screen. “Tell me what it is that’s troubling you.”

After watching over Adrien and how he near-flawlessly completed the rest of the work for her with minimal questions, Nathalie was able to finally breathe in relief. She thought it’d take him longer, but the child truly was more competent than his father gave him credit for. Removing her glasses once more to clean them, Nathalie let out a relieved sigh as she placed them back on.

“Is that all for today, Nathalie?” Adrien questioned; it was apparent in his voice that he seemed bothered by something.

“Yes, I suppose.” Hesitantly, she reached out and cupped his cheek thinking he truly looked nothing like her beloved Gabriel. “You are growing into quite the young man.” Perhaps the tiredness was getting to her, but she thought it a shame that Emilie wasn’t around to see him flourish. “I’m sure your mother would be proud.”

Adrien had leaned into her touch, before having heard that last part. As he looked to Nathalie and realized he would only lose one for the other, his eyes cast downward. “Nathalie…?”

“Yes, Adrien?” She pulled her hand away, peeling herself away from her work.

“Are you happy? With your life…” He swallowed harshly. “Like this… your relationship with my father?”

“I’m very content with how things are.” She spoke, finally cracking a smile. “I need nothing more.”

Adrien could hear nothing but truth behind her words and that he knew, she didn’t love him like a mother loved a child… she never would.

He’d always viewed Nathalie as a constant in his life, but now knowing she’d be gone someday, his mind began to betray him.

He began to think that maybe things would turn out differently if he had treated her differently.

Maybe if he had paid more attention to her, cared more, or viewed her as more than just his father’s assistant, he wouldn’t feel the despair of her loss as greatly as he did.

In his mind’s eye he saw her as Mayura once more, how she smiled until the very end.

Perhaps what hurt most was that regardless of what he did, nothing would change.

It was then he realized, the woman cared for nothing but his father and that the sentiments of kindness toward him were only too few and far between.

Adrien felt his heart sink into his stomach. 

Because regardless of who she was, he still cared for her like family despite the fact that she was never truly going to feel the same way.

* * *

“Hey, Nathalie…” Adrien parted his lips to speak, knowing it was much too late. “I know it’s a little… uh...” His gaze shifted as she raised a brow at him. “Um… I was wondering, if I ever had a daughter, would it be all right if I named her after you?” 

“You sure that isn’t the exhaustion talking?” Nathalie gave him a sympathetic smile as she patted his head for just a little longer.

“No.” He spoke, absolutely sure.

“Then I would be honored.”

* * *

Marinette had been picked up from school Friday afternoon and brought home by her parents.

Late Saturday afternoon, she woke up in her own room disoriented. Sitting up as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, Marinette called for her kwami. “Tikki?”

“Marinette!” The kwami flew to her side and nuzzled against her cheek. “Are you okay? Everyone was so worried!”

“I’m all right,” gently taking the kwami in her hands, she looked down at her before realizing where she was, “but what happened?”

Giggling, Tikki floated upward and patted her bangs. “You fainted because Adrien flirted back! He kissed your wrist and called you _Princess_! You’ve been asleep for almost a whole day!”

Furrowing her brows at how embarrassing that must’ve been, then stiffened at the memory. “Wait a minute! Did he finally figure it out?” She gasped incredulously; by the look in his eyes the last time they spoke at the park, she was sure that he was still fairly oblivious to her alter ego.

She spent her Saturday in slight panic, wondering if he knew and knowing she couldn’t just up and ask in case he didn’t. Her phone had been spammed by multiple messages from her friends, all of which held harmless teasing about how she straight up swooned at Adrien’s kittenish behavior.

Taking note of a new notification on her phone, she unlocked the screen to see there was a video attachment from Alya.

> **_Alya_** _: [Sorry Girl, got so caught up with other stuff that I forgot to send you this! Lol, if it’s any consolation, Adrien found your reaction adorable!]_

Eyes widening slightly, she tapped at the play button on the screen to see how the scene had unfolded. 

> _I brought you dessert.”_
> 
> _"Mmm, sweet as always… My Princess.”_
> 
> _“P-Pu-Purr—Princess?!”_ At his quick remark she had begun to see her own eyes flutter and consciousness start to fade.
> 
> _"Dude…”_
> 
> _"Oh my god! Marinette!”_

Marinette felt herself get red, watching herself faint on camera was just so embarrassing and Adrien picking her up in a princess carry— just what on earth was going on?

She watched the footage again and again, over and over, wondering if he realized that she was Ladybug and was letting his Chat Noir show.

“Tikki,” she spoke as she began to fumble around with her phone, zooming in and out at random, “do you think he knows?”

“I’m not sure, Marinette.” Tikki giggled.

“Wait a minute…” After accidentally zooming on their hands, Marinette tilted her head in slight confusion. “Where’s his ring?” She blanched.

Tikki gazed at the zoomed in image. “I don’t know, but now that you mention it, Plagg hasn’t said anything to me recently…”

Ever since Marinette figured out that Chat Noir was Adrien, Plagg and Tikki had been hanging out during school hours or exchanging messages through one of Marinette’s old devices that still had WIFI access.

“W-What if that wasn’t Adrien I was speaking to in class?!” Her mind began to race at all the different possibilities. “It could’ve been Felix, an akuma, or…”

At the sound of a thump on her rooftop, she instantly shot up toward the skylight. Looking out toward the balcony, she saw the sky was beginning to change colors.

Taking a deep breath, she began to call out jokingly. “Here kitty, kitty, kitty! Pspsps—” She’d made a habit of doing it every Saturday since Chat Noir had supposedly ghosted her; she knew better though, he had been hanging around, watching her from afar during Marichat hours. A part of her was ready to just scream for him to come over; she had been growing tired of the silent treatment from both Chat Noir and Adrien! “Stupid—"

“You know, it kind of bugs me when you talk about me like that.”

“Chat— Mister Bug!?” Marinette gasped as Tikki flew out.

Taking a few steps closer, Adrien called off his transformation. “Spots off.”

“What’s going on?” Marinette gasped as she looked at the Tikki beside him.

“Time travel.” Both Tikkis spoke at once.

“Good evening, My La—” Adrien paused for a moment, knowing that wasn’t quite right. He needed a new nickname for her, what was it again that his Lady once said he’d call her…? Right, it was… _“Ma Petite Coccinelle.”_

“Oh no!” Marinette groaned at the nickname, her nose scrunching in a way Adrien found all too adorable. “So, it really was future you!”

“Made you swoon, did I?” A triumphant smirk graced his lips as he ran his fingers through his hair, pushing it back to loosen it from that good boy look he had going on during school.

A pout suddenly formed on her lips, knowing nothing she could say or do would get her out of him calling her out on the truth. “Hmph!”

“Hey! You really make your Adrien work for it with all your teasing!” He chuckled as he tapped on her chin and made her turn toward him. “Just a little payback…” He then leaned in on instinct for a kiss.

“Don’t even try it!” She’d narrowed her eyes at him and dodged in order to hide her reddened cheeks. Even if he was from the future, even if he was Chat Noir, it didn’t change the fact that the man before her was Adrien! “I’m not your girlfriend, let alone your wife yet!” Marinette opened up the hatch and jumped down.

A small laugh escaped his lips as he followed after her, remembering how many kisses they shared despite not completely knowing each other's identity. “Right, _yet._ ”

Marinette took a seat on the chaise and dropped her head into her hands. She loved the sound of the man’s laugh, even if he was laughing at her. “So, why are you here?” A small groan escaped her lips. “Another time travelling akuma?”

“Nope, just straight up magic! Seems a sorcerer enchanted some roses and yadda, yadda, yadda, your Adrien and I have swapped for the weekend!” He plopped himself beside her and took off his hoodie; it was suffocating and he much preferred to wear the cardigan his wife had made him. After tossing it in the corner, he stretched his arms out. “Oh! Could try a true love’s kiss to see if it could break the spell though!” He waggled his eyebrows at her in a joking manner.

Taking in another deep breath, a hint of a smirk graced Marinette’s face as she wrapped her arms around his neck and climbed onto his lap. “All right then.” Her heart was pounding in her ears as she felt his bare skin against her fingertips. Never would she admit it out loud, but she thought her future husband looked so damn hot. A part of her was thankful he showed up as Mister Bug because it would be downright criminal for someone with such a sinfully sexy physique to be parading around in a black leather catsuit. “Pucker up, Hot Stuff.” Some payback was required for the time his future counterpart relentlessly teased her 15-year-old self.

Adrien’s eyes widened as her face came nearer and nearer as to close the distance. Gulping slightly, he felt himself begin to get redder and redder. The teenage version of his wife was so cute! Wait! They weren’t together yet at this time, would he be cheating the younger Adrien out of a memorable “first kiss” with her? His mind began racing with so many thoughts. “Wait—”

Marinette’s face suddenly blushed as her smile widened. “Oh, please tell me I can make you like this all time, even after we’re married!” She grinned with glee before letting out a few giggles and settling herself to sit on his lap.

“Huh?” Adrien noised as he took note of her laughter rising as she clutched at her abdomen.

“It was just a little payback for earlier!” Wiping a small tear from her eye, she gave one final giggle. “A shame I couldn’t make you faint, but still!”

A small pout formed on Adrien’s face before he narrowed his eyes at her, his gaze suddenly like a cat hungry for a mouse. “You shouldn’t tease me too much, Marinette…” His voice was deep and alluring, causing her laughter to immediately subside. He grasped at her chin and tilted it upward, forcing her blue eyes to meet his green gaze. 

“Ah—” Marinette squeaked. She could suddenly feel herself get weak at the knees; the man before her had that smoldering look down to an artform!

His hot breath grazed her ear as he began to whisper, dragging his fingertips against the crook of her neck. “I know all of your weak spots…”

A small whimper sounded from her throat, a moan threatening to escape her lips. “W-Weak spots…?” Her eyes were beginning to glaze over as if falling into a trance.

“Yeah, and I fully intend to take advantage of them…” His voice was filled with warning, sounding just wrong enough to make her feel right. “So, if you’re up for some fun…” He rocked his body backward slightly, reaching his other arm behind her without her noticing.

Marinette found her body moving on its own as she placed a hand against his surprisingly ripped abdomen. The seventeen-year-old Chat Noir was fit, but this man… his body was like something out of a magazine pin-up! “Ah— Adrien?” Her mind was screaming at her to stop touching him, but her body was making the faintest movements of wanting to sinfully use the opportunity to get even closer. Somehow, she found herself even almost cursing the clothes between them.

Adrien had reached for the gaming controllers and simply dropped one in her free hand. “I was talking about Ultimate Mecha Strike III, what sort of thoughts did you have in mind, Buginette?” Oh, how he loved pushing her buttons! There was no need to mention that just when he finally matched her strength in this game, Ultimate Mecha Strike IV came out and his wife mercilessly destroyed him at it.

Quickly, her hand moved upward from his abs to shove his stupidly handsome face away from her. “Oh, that is it, you’re going down, Agreste!” The declaration was intended to sound angry as she tried to hide her face which she could feel was reddening madly with a blush.

The faintest hint of a smirk tugged at the corner of Adrien’s lips. “May I remind you that you’ll be an Agreste someday too.”

She’d booted up the game and began to snuggle herself into his embrace, the same way she’d been doing with her kitty up until his last visit. “You keep talking like that and I’ll kick your butt into the next decade!”

“If I recall correctly, we’re also still married in a decade.” Having had years of experience, he could counter her quick remarks.

“Yes, yes, with a litter of punny kittens and a hamster!” A subtle grin pulled at the corners of her lips. “We’re going to have everything we ever wanted and live happily ever after! Must you remind me?”

Adrien’s eyes widened at her words. Right, while it was only for a few hours, but he had already met his future children: Emma, Hugo, Louis who were wonderful beyond words… and he knew how Marinette would only become more beautiful.

Adrien knew himself well enough that at any point in time, he wouldn’t hesitate to take the opportunity to tease his lady with spoilers of what’s to come. “You’ve met an older me right? What has he told you?”

“I think I was too mad about the whole thing to really listen, but after thinking back on it, all your future self did was tease at his identity and give spoilers. You’re going to be such a house cat!” Playfully, she shoved at his shoulder. “Has Emma been born yet? I bet you can’t wait until she starts talking and driving me crazy with cat puns!”

Adrien finally found himself smiling again. “You’ll make puns in the future too!” 

She stuck her tongue out at him. “Truthfully, I’ve been resisting the urge to out-pun you for years.”

Dramatically gasping, Adrien clutched at his chest. “You wound me, Ma Petite Coccinelle!”

“Well, time heals all wounds!” She spoke firmly before ruffling his hair; he instinctively leaned in, wanting more head pats like a spoiled kitten. “You’ll get better, Adrien!”

Adrien downcast his gaze to hide his guilt. Holding back a sigh, he recalled the last conversation he had with his wife.

* * *

“Adrien…” Marinette whispered his name as she ran her fingers against the side of his face.

Adrien snapped out of his thoughts; she had pulled him aside toward the end of the party. Finally registering who was speaking to him, he looked toward his girls and thought about how pretty they looked, how their hair seemed to have grown a little longer, and wondered if he had told them that they looked beautiful today.

His wife gave him a look that showed she was feeling bad about something. “M-Maybe it was too soon for this…”

Marinette had offered to throw Kagami a baby shower to celebrate the coming of their baby girl, Kanon. 

Luka and Kagami had been absent from the final battle against Hawkmoth, having been living in Japan up until just a few days ago.

Maybe if they were there…

Things would’ve been different.

Maybe… just maybe…

“Adrien… you haven’t heard a word of what I said, have you?” Marinette’s lips were pursed into a thin line.

It had happened again; he hadn’t so much as responded with a word or nod, hadn’t he? Inwardly, he cursed at himself.

“I need my husband and Emma needs her father, Adrien…” Grabbing onto his sleeve, Marinette’s words were as soft as a whisper. “I…” Her lips were quivering. “ _We need you_ …”

“Stop, just stop!” He pleaded; he didn’t yell, he would never yell at her. Adrien clenched his eyes shut, enraged as his mind flashed back to when his mother would say all he’d ever need would be for him to stay locked away at home, right by her side. “I’m sorry.” It was all he could say. “Please, just… just give me more time. I promise I’ll get better.”

“That’s just the thing Adrien… I want you to…”

Thankful all the other guests had left, Adrien ran away from her and into the garden to get some air.

“Adrien…” Tikki spoke his name firmly to get his attention. “You can’t keep doing this to Marinette, it isn’t fair...”

“Life isn’t fair!” Adrien growled; he could feel himself wanting to cry out. “I don’t get how people can just go on living like this! As if nothing’s happened!”

“What do you expect them to do?” Tikki was an immortal, and through the millennia had sometimes watched her holders both live and perish. “What are you doing then?” The kwami narrowed her eyes at him. “Can you honestly say that you’re doing your best to live right now?”

Adrien felt his throat close tight, finding it difficult to breathe.

Going through the motions, allowing his life to just pass him by, he wasn’t truly living.

Tikki was right, he couldn’t continue as he was, he couldn’t drag this on any further.

He couldn’t continue to act selfishly and he refused to be like his father.

Slumping forward, he gritted his teeth and sucked in a deep breath, clenching his hands into fists, trying to grasp some sort of feeling of control.

He had pretended not to hear her before, but he needed to get his life together.

 _"I want you to rely on me too… Adrien, I’m your partner in all of this…”_ Marinette’s expression was heart-breaking.

Rather than wallowing on what could’ve been, Adrien needed to start being present; he had more responsibilities now, a new family that needed him.

He needed to make it up to Marinette somehow. Replacing roses he’d allowed to wilt in their home seemed like a good starting point. Reaching forward, he grasped at a rose from the bush before him.

* * *

“Hey, Adrien…” Marinette took note of the sadness in his smile and began to wince with worry.

“Yeah?” Snapping out of his thoughts, he turned to face her, taking note of her worried expression.

Biting her bottom lip, Marinette’s forehead began to wrinkle just slightly with concern. “Am I really the lady of your dreams?” Insecurity laced her every word.

Adrien’s eyes widened in disbelief at how he’d acted. He dared make her doubt herself, make her doubt his feelings for her. Having acted so foolishly, he felt like such a failure. Knowing he needed to make it up to her, somehow, someway, he gently clasped her hand in his before whispering words through kisses against her palm. “Marinette, you make this reality worth living.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact: So truly, I am a sucker for time travel, and remembered like over 10 years ago, I had asked my fiancé, (then boyfriend, but we knew quickly we were each other's soulmates), if a future me just showed up on his doorstep and just told him I was his endgame, would he believe it? He told me he'd go with it just because I'm pretty, LOL.


	25. An Endless Reminder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~**WARNING:** Whatever you ducking do, don't put the Chinese line through Google Translate. Just pretend it's just poetic AF if you don't know Chinese.~~

After a few hours of just spending time with Emma, the baby had fallen back asleep, but this time with both Plaggs protectively snuggled at her side.

Chuckling softly to himself, Adrien decided to take a better look at Emma’s nursery. She had so many plushies! A set for the entire zodiac, her own personal Mr. Cuddly which he was sure was from Chloé with its white fur and pink diamond eyes, and even Ladybug and Chat Noir dolls which he assumed were from Marinette.

Taking note of the toy trunk which was overflowing with hero dolls and akumas, he began to wonder, had Marinette gifted every doll she made to Emma? He thought the gesture sweet.

Quietly, he tip-toed out of the nursery and took note of Ladybug speaking with someone in her office.

“Chloé, please, Adrien is unavailable at the moment, can’t we discuss this matter at a later time?” She groaned.

Chloé’s voice echoed. “What do you mean _unavailable_? We all just took a day off for Dragon-Lady’s baby shower!”

“You didn’t have to come, Chloé.” He’d overheard Kagami mutter.

“A party without me would be ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!”

“Yes, yes.” Kagami sighed. “All right, now may we please go back to talking business?”

Chloé’s pout was audible. “My mother’s on board as long as you become the new head designer.”

Marinette just rolled her eyes. “Fine.”

“Everything’s all good on our end as well. We can meet on Monday during lunch to finish up all the paperwork.” Kagami spoke, somewhat hoping to be helpful.

“Sabrina, type up the contract and get a table ready at Le Grand Paris Hotel for Bourgeois, Tsurugi, and Agreste.”

“Yes, Chloé!” Her assistant/best friend could be heard through the speaker.

Adrien knocked on the side of the door before peeking in. “Ladybug?”

Marinette noticed him from the reflection at the bottom of the screen and began to freak out. “Ahh— Adrien, wait!” She commanded as she scrambled to throw her Ladybug mask back on.

“Adrikins!” Chloé called out. “There you are— what is this about you being unavailable? Were you lying, Du—”

“Chloé!” Marinette heard Kagami yell the blonde girl’s name just as she’d slammed her laptop shut.

“Sorry about that.” Marinette then let out a frustrated sigh, scratching at her scalp. It had taken many weeks, but she and Adrien were slowly trying to rebuild the _Gabriel Agreste_ brand. It was helpful that Kagami and Chloé’s mothers were both huge backers to help keep the company afloat, but it was still a lot to have to deal with as young adults who were just starting out in life. “I just had to take care of some business. How much did you hear?”

“Ah, not much, but you _are_ a fashion designer, right?” Adrien inquired as he motioned to the room they were in, how it was littered with all sorts of fabrics, crafts, and materials.

“Yeah, guess you could say that.” She spoke as she picked up a needle and thread and began to get back to work on the sparkling purple gown on the dress form. Her godmother, Nadja Chamack, had commissioned her to make her daughter Manon’s birthday dress after having been impressed with her work on a reception dress a few years back. Manon had requested a sparkly purple princess dress and Marinette was expected to deliver nothing short of magical. The plan was for Nadja to cover her daughter’s party on the news the next day and, of course, drop her name. “I’m still working on getting my name out there.” 

“You’re going to be great!” Adrien cheered, flushing at how he remembered her future self. “I met your 27-year-old self before. Everything will fall into place, Ladybug! You’re going to be a great designer in the future!”

Marinette paused, almost pricking her hand on the needle before settling it down in a pin cushion. Taking a step back, she was beginning to see how everything was a bit too much at the moment. However, with one look at Adrien’s face, she somehow was reminded that everything would be okay. Actually, that they would be more than okay! 

“Thank you, Adrien.” A small smile bloomed on her face. “Thank you for remembering what I should’ve known.”

Adrien felt his heart begin to pound in his chest. “O-Of course, no problem!”

The silence between them was then interrupted by the growling of Adrien’s stomach which caused Ladybug to suddenly burst out laughing.

“Purrfect timing!” She grabbed onto Adrien’s hand and pulled herself up beginning to chassé down the halls. “Dinner should be just about ready.” As she twirled, the skirt of her dress playfully rising, Adrien found himself dancing along with her, the motion seeming to come naturally.

After sliding down the staircase, she’d led him into the kitchen and he began to take note of the subtle notes of tomato and herbs wafting from the oven as he dipped her into a finishing pose.

“Wow, that smells amazing!” He spoke in awe as he grabbed some plates and utensils.

After putting her oven mitts on, she lifted the casserole dish out of the oven. “Well, you told me once that my baking is as good as my dancing.” She laughed as she settled the dish between them.

“What did I do to deserve a wife like you?” Adrien found himself saying as he sat himself down at the small dining table, the space between them almost nonexistent.

“You’re going to say that a lot.” Ladybug then kissed his cheek. “And I’ll always tell you that it’s me who’s the lucky one.”

Adrien suddenly felt very hot and it wasn’t from the heat of the kitchen. “S-So… w-what did you make?”

Marinette lifted the lid with a slight smirk. “ _RAT_ atouille!”

Adrien gripped his utensils, unsure why her voice suddenly seemed to have gotten higher. He decided to just dig in, suddenly too hungry to further read into it. “Th-This is delicious!” He spoke truthfully; the food tasted warm and comforting, like a home he’d only ever imagined being a part of.

Marinette rested her chin against her hands and hummed to avoid a mouth twitch. “Hmm...” Well, at least she had tried.

Not too long after they’d finished, Ladybug presented him with a small plate of macarons; they were passion fruit flavored. “There’s dessert as well.”

“Did you make these…?” Adrien looked down at the batch of sweets then back to her. “Passion fruit macarons?”

She nodded with a soft smile. “They’re your favorite, right?”

“Yes!” He grabbed hold of one and took a bite, the flavor the exact same it’s always been. “M-Marinette…” He found the name tumbling from his lips, the mild sweetness lingering on his palate.

Ladybug’s eyes widened as she tilted her head at him. “Hmm… What was that?” Her tone was playful, eager at the possibility that he had finally figured out— 

“Um! Did Marinette teach you this recipe?” Shoving the whole confection into his mouth, Adrien suddenly became flustered.

“Hmm… yeah, I suppose you can say she did.” Telling herself to never mind, Marinette resisted the urge to just facepalm.

After chatting over dessert, they realized it was getting late and quietly peeked at Emma to thankfully see she was still sleeping peacefully.

As they made their way out of the nursery, Marinette began to speak. “Hey, there’s a bathroom in the master bedroom, go ahead and shower first.”

Adrien nodded before glancing over at her and taking note of how she rubbed her lashes beneath the mask. “Sure, but what about you?”

Marinette paused mid-stretch, a wide smirk tugging at her lip. “I tend to work pretty late into the night, but…” She slowly placed her arms around his neck before sliding her palms down against his chest. “I could…” she began to pop at the buttons of his shirt, feeling his heart begin to race beneath her touch, “join you if you want…”

Adrien felt his face bursting into a blush. “T-Tha—”

“What is it, Adrien?” She’d whispered, her fingers splayed across his bare chest. Her tantalizingly warm breath against his ear made him feel all too sensitive. “Cat got your tongue?” Ladybug asked as she pulled back with a grin.

Adrien began to feel his gaze fall as his eyes met hers, the faint scent of her perfume intoxicating his senses. They were so close and she was so alluring. His heart was tugging in all sorts of different directions as she took in her features; the dust of freckles against her cheeks beneath the mask, her long dark lashes, bluebell eyes. His thoughts raced to one person…

And then the moment was shattered at the sound of the baby’s cries.

Both Plagg’s came zooming out of the room, their paws over their ears. “M—” Bubbles flying from their mouths.

“Ah, Emma’s probably hungry.” Ladybug chuckled as she gently patted the heads of the two cat kwamis. “Show Adrien the shower while I go feed her?”

“Can we tease him?” Both Plaggs spoke in unison.

“Have I ever been able to stop you?” Marinette grinned back at the mischievous little gods of destruction. She turned around and teasingly took off the mask, knowing that it was just going to torture Adrien. “Later, Handsome Boy.”

Adrien could still hear his heart pounding in his ears; his future lady was such a tease! The pair of Plaggs flew up to him, getting right up in his face.

“Hey, hey! Did you finally figure out that Ladybug is—”

“Ladybug’s real name is—”

“Stop being so oblivious! It’s so obvious how she’s—”

“Ladybug is—”

Marinette, who had made her way back to Emma in an instant, was just laughing quietly to herself from behind closed doors the entire time as she held Emma to her chest.

Adrien’s eyes suddenly narrowed at the two Plaggs, their bubbly breaths just being a smack in the face with the pungent scent of Camembert. “Like, can you two just not?” He groaned as the elder Plagg led the way to the master bathroom.

Starting up the shower and waiting for it to heat up, he took note of the counter’s small assortment of hygiene products. It seemed he wouldn't change in the slightest, noticing the same familiar brands he’d always used.

Ladybug’s things on the other hand consisted of very little make-up, only eye makeup and lip products. It made sense to him; she always did seem like a natural beauty.

There was something that caught his eye though; a gorgeous perfume bottle shaped like a blooming red and black rose. He lifted the cosmetic to inspect it closer, the faintly sweet, earthy scent of roses with hints of vanilla, fruit, and what he believed to be the faintest hint of mint hitting his nostrils. It was the same fragrance he smelled on Ladybug. “ _Unmasked Love_ ?” He whispered the name of the perfume, taking note of the signature “Ⓖ” to represent the _Gabriel Agreste_ brand. 

The perfume in his hand didn’t exist during the time period he was from. A small chuckle escaped his lips at how he and his Lady could develop a fragrance with such a perfect name.

* * *

After having showered, he entered the bedroom.

Despite everything being cloaked in darkness, he glanced around, taking notes of any personal touches.

The photos on the wall were covered, but the same silver ornate picture frame of his wedding with Ladybug sat on a dresser along with the miracle box beside it.

Knowing not to reveal her face, Adrien found himself tracing at pattern's edges before turning the picture around. He found the temptation to be testing the limits of his self control. However, his eyes widened though when he found a message engraved on the back.

望此鸳鸯 一生相守

-王富

Adrien felt his chest tighten. "Master Fu..." He blinked back the tears and swallowed the lump in his throat before telling himself to smile at the reassurance. Master Fu had known them to be destined from the very beginning and wished them a lifetime of happiness.

In the corner of the room, something sparkling caught his eye, the forever crystal rose he had planned to give to Ladybug of his time, but hadn’t. He tapped the glass. So he indeed would one day give it to her; a feeling of relief washed over him at the thought.

Spending time with her, like this, it would become his every day. It was comfortable, it was warm, it was happy… but it felt like he was still missing something.

If they were meant to be...

Why was he suddenly finding himself feeling homesick?

_“I’m never, ever going to stop loving you Adrien. So, you’d better prepare yourself because I’m going to do everything in my power to give you the happiest future!”_

Why did he suddenly find himself missing Marinette?

_“I will make your feelings waver, I will hurt you over and over again, but you will do the same. Boundless tears will be shed, hearts may feel broken, but please, don’t ever change… don’t ever give up… We’ve always stood by each other, always had each other, even when we didn’t know it.”_

He recalled an older Ladybug’s words, his voice getting caught in his throat.

Suddenly, he felt a lithe pair of arms wrap around him from behind, breaking him out of his reverie.

“My Lady…?” Adrien whispered, his hand finding hers.

Her long dark hair tickled at his bare arms as she lifted her head to look at him with her beautiful blue eyes. “I’m sorry, Adrien.”

“For what?” He asked as he turned to face her.

“Well, my thought at the time was that I wanted you to see me for me and realize we’re soulmates, rather than just thinking about Ladybug being your endgame.” Her body began to get tense as she fiddled with the hem of her dress. “I didn’t stop to think about how I could actually be hurting you…” Inhaling a deep breath, she hesitated for a moment before exhaling. “I’ll tell you who I am if you want to know—”

His expression had softened. “Now why would you go and do something like that?”

“Because I want you to be happy!!” She suddenly cried out, pulling away. Adrien’s eyes widened to see that there were the faintest tears forming. “Because… I want you to be happy with me!” She whispered before dropping her face in her hands to hide it. “I’m sorry… I just…”

_“Please, just… just give me more time. I promise I’ll get better.”_

Marinette recalled her husband’s last plea before he ran from her, before she could even apologize. And like a fresh start or clean slate, in his place a young, naïve version of him appeared. A small sniffle escaped her as she ran to the bathroom and locked herself in.

“W-Wait…” Adrien winced when he heard the water run, his voice having been drowned out.

* * *

Marinette told herself not to cry, but she couldn’t help it. It was all too much at once. As the water began to pour, so did her tears.

A part of her told herself that she had no right to complain about how things ended between Adrien and Gabriel.

How were they supposed to know that both of his parents were actually mentally unstable?

The Graham de Vanily family quickly caught wind of Emilie’s “return” and sought to take her away from Gabriel. As a compromise however, they allowed him to accompany her back to England, leaving the entire fashion empire he’d created behind in Paris. The selfish prick had left Adrien to pick up the pieces.

Marinette sighed. She and her husband were only twenty, barely adults who had just had their first child and now they had an entire company just thrown at them with no guidance whatsoever.

A pained laugh escaped her lips as she wondered why she was always being forced to grow up so fast. She had already taken a break from university because of Emma and with all that had just happened in the final battle, she knew her husband was depressed. It’d been weeks and he seemed no closer to recovery. 

_“I’m sorry, just give me some time and I swear I’ll be better.”_

_“That’s just the thing Adrien, you don’t need to take on this burden all alone. I’m here for you, we all are. You do have a family… one that you can truly rely on.”_

Marinette felt sad at how he couldn’t seem to remember that.

Her Adrien had fallen into despair, hardly speaking, hardly moving. He was no longer really present and even lost his Miraculous to his child due to his absentmindedness!

Being unable to pull him out of his misery, Marinette felt helpless. But if she was being honest, she was feeling alone, like she was raising their daughter all on her own.

Bunnyx had suggested she let things play out on their own and Marinette knew that Bunnyx knew best, Bunnyx knew all…

No matter how hard you try to force the world, it heals at its own pace.

“I’m so sorry, _My Adrien_.” She stared at the ceiling, wondering how her husband was coping.

Healing, discovery, acceptance— life would be so much easier if those things happened when people wanted them to.

Marinette hugged herself tightly, wishing that her husband could hear her. “Come home to me soon, okay?”

* * *

Marinette stepped out of the shower, feeling slightly calmer. After applying a tinted lip balm, she pressed her mask back on and dressed herself in a Ladybug themed tank top and black cat shorts after having struggled to find nightwear that was on the more modest side.

As she tried to dry her ridiculously long mermaid hair, she opened the bathroom door to release the steam. She then took note of Adrien sitting on the floor, in a cat-like manner, his green eyes locked onto her figure.

“Are you…” Adrien winced slightly; he had heard how her voice had quivered earlier. “Are you and your husband fighting?”

Marinette didn’t want to lie to him, and so decided to speak her truth. “I- I don’t know… I hope not…” She bit her bottom lip as she knelt onto the floor. “It’s hard, not being able to go into detail, but you’re going to experience some hardships in the future…”

Adrien nodded, trying to listen. He knew it was normal for anyone to go through hardships in life, but by the tone of her voice, he began to think it must be something particularly devastating. “And there’s nothing we could do to stop it?”

Ladybug’s gaze cast downward as her lips began to quiver. “No… I’m sorry.” After a wish was made with the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculouses, it could not be undone by the power of another. No second chances, no turning back the clock or altering fate’s design… 

“Don’t be. It’s not either of our faults then.” Adrien gently placed his hand over hers. “Whatever happened, I can manage… after all, I look forward to the future... _this future... with you_.”

Unable to hold herself back, she threw her arms around him and buried her face into his chest. After having waited so long, he somehow just said what she needed to hear. “Thank you, Adrien…” She blinked back the tears that threatened to fall, having felt saved by his words. 

It took him a moment, but he eventually wrapped his arms around her too. And as he did, his mind flashed back to when he, as Chat Noir, held a crying Marinette in his arms. Adrien shyly ran his fingers through the woman’s dark locks, finding the silky smooth feeling against his skin to be even better than he ever imagined. Everything all at once felt familiar and he felt his heart begin to pound rapidly. He parted his lips, ready to take a chance, his heart ready to take that leap of faith. “Ma—”

The woman shot her head up and entangled her fingers within his hair before pulling him downward. His eyes widened, thinking she was going to kiss him on the mouth before just barely tilting his face sideways to kiss his cheek. “Sorry… I almost slipped.” She laughed nervously. “We’re not together yet in your time… I won’t cheat us out of a first kiss we’ll both remember.” She began to smile again at the unwritten rule between her and her husband. “Were you going to say something?”

“Ma-Maybe we should get some rest?” Adrien swallowed hard, his resolve dissipating as he helped her stand.

Ladybug nodded, thankful for all he’d shown her by just being by her side. Perhaps in her own way, she needed some time to heal. “Yeah… just give me a few more minutes.” She stretched slightly before sweeping her hair off to one side to finish drying it. 

Adrien’s eyes fluttered toward the dark marks over her shoulder; having been covered by her dress before, he hadn’t noticed them. A faint blush flooded his cheeks. “You have a tattoo...”

Hairbrush in hand, Marinette froze in place before peeking over her shoulder to look at him. "I do…" She pursed her lips and hummed for a moment before tugging at the strap of her tank top, inviting him to get a better look at it.

Four small black and green paw prints climbed over her shoulder, encased in a crescent that at first glance looked like a moon, but was more than likely a “C” for _Chat_.

Adrien’s cheeks flushed deeper in awe. He watched as she shuddered at his touch, having lightly ran his fingers over her pale skin. “Is this…?”

Marinette knew that as the Guardian, she could someday forget everything about the Miraculous… including her beloved, and so wanted something permanent, an endless reminder. “Proof that my Chaton’s always got my back.” She spoke, her gaze softening as if having somehow forgotten.

It was like her words were the finishing blow, Adrien clutched at his chest as if it’d been relentlessly shot at by Cupid’s arrows. “You’re too cute!” He whispered, adoration for her more than evident.

A smile tugged at the corner of Marinette’s lips as she watched him from the mirror. The young Adrien’s reflection crumpled into a puddle of feels from behind her. “ **Spoiler alert:** You’ll get a Ladybug one too…” She winked. “Won’t tell you where though!”

“I can only imagine…” A small chuckle escaped his throat as he shyly ran his fingers through her hair. “Your hair is beautiful…” Out of pure instinct, he found himself whispering against the ends as if to kiss them.

Marinette smirked before handing him the brush. “Enjoy it while it lasts, Chaton. I’m cutting and donating it next month.”

“You’ll be beautiful with short hair too!” He laughed once more as he began to comb through her sleek black locks, having made quick work of any knots or tangles. “When I met your future self, her hair was to…” he motioned to the area just below her ears, “here!”

Ladybug’s face blanched from beneath the mask. “That’s shorter than my Mom’s!” A small groan escaped her lips as she began to tie her hair into their signature twin tails. “I’ve seen what my husband looks like in the future and I have no doubt in my mind he wears a man-bun while at home!”

“Hey!” Adrien gasped, seemingly offended and completely into the idea. “I could pull it off!”

“No way!” Having successfully wrapped her pigtails into two buns instead, the style matching Multimouse’s, Marinette attempted to gauge Adrien’s reaction through their reflection in the mirror. “ _I’m_ so much cuter in them!” 

His breath hitched in his throat at the very sight of her, his heart screaming and pulling in all sorts of different directions. “Um…” He lifted his hand and began to rub the back of his neck, a telltale sign of his nervousness. Cautiously, his lips twitched, in hopes that he could find the courage once more to ask if she truly was who he had in mind.

And in a flash, Marinette had found herself pulling out the hair ties and feigning a yawn. “It’s getting late…” She murmured before lacing her hand with his and pulling him toward the bed. “Let’s get some rest! We can always get back to teasing you about my identity in the morning.” She grinned, the faintest hint of a pink spilling against her freckled cheeks.

Having snapped out of his daze, Adrien looked down at Ladybug to see that she’d already settled herself under the covers and began patting the space beside her. “There's only one bed...” Adrien whispered to himself quietly as he felt himself begin to blush.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's dedicated to Aurum on the Miraculous Fanworks Discord Server! Happy 24th Birthday! Thanks so much for being such a dedicated reader of this fic!  
>  **SPOILER ALERT:** The next chapter's the reveal!  
> 


	26. Unmasked Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s here! The reveal!  
> Ladybug jokingly ends up singing a few of the French lyrics which will end up translating to something along the lines of  
> "Oh oh oh  
> Star-crossed love,  
> Oh oh oh  
> My heart belongs to Adrien  
> Oh oh oh  
> But he does not want to love me  
> Until I become... Ladybug"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to my favorite author in all of AO3, the writer who inspired me to write Miraculous Ladybug fanfiction, 11JJ11!

Having taken note of that subtle, sweet scent of roses, Adrien’s eyes fluttered open to see himself holding a woman in his arms, one with the softest and shiniest midnight-colored hair he’d ever seen. 

He felt himself grow warm at their closeness and when he tried to pull away, a small whimper escaped her lips.

“No… not yet, My Prince.” She mumbled half asleep as she turned around and wrapped her arms around him. 

As she snuggled her face against his chest, almost insisting on more cuddles, Adrien found himself trapped. It was dangerous to just stay like this, but the lady was so adorable!

Getting lost in his own thoughts and fantasies, he was suddenly startled at the sounds of her snoring.

An amused smile tugged at his lips before he found himself chuckling.

Ladybug snored, and she snored loudly!

“Rise and shine, My Lady…” Adrien cooed into her bare ear after having glanced at the clock. He stroked the side of her cheek, but found himself pulling away when he felt the urge to slip off her mask.

“Hngh… Naughty Kitty…” She pulled him to her chest making his eyes bug out as she snuggled her face into his hair. “Five more…” she inhaled his scent with a dreamy sigh, “hours…”

Hours! She said _hours_ , not _minutes_! It took everything in Adrien not to burst out laughing as his cheeks threatened to overheat.

With some reluctance and care, he removed himself from her arms and tip-toed out of bed. A small wrinkle formed between her brows, but eventually softened when he tugged the covers over her.

A glint of the crystal rose caught his eye once more and he found himself walking toward it. Beneath the case, there was a crumpled piece of paper and a familiar red heart-shaped Valentine’s Day card. As Adrien gazed as the messages in hand, he felt his heart overflow with affection.

“So the poem really was from you…” A soft smile painted its way onto his lips as he looked back at her.

_“Your hair is dark as night_

_Your pretty bluebell eyes_

_I wonder who you are_

_Beneath that strong disguise...”_

He ran his fingers through her long locks before kissing the ends of her hair. To him, she was breathtakingly beautiful; she always had been.

Natural light flooded through the glass as he opened up the windows to let in the fresh air. He peeked back at Ladybug who seemed to enjoy the cool breeze that drifted in.

Relieved at her comfort, he exited the room to hear the faint coos of Emma from the nursery. He tapped on the door softly, receiving a muffled “Come in!” from a Plagg. He twisted the doorknob and caught sight of the Plaggs dressed up in costumes and making funny faces to elicit happy squeals from his future daughter.

“Morning, Kid!” His Plagg greeted, dressed in a ladybug themed hooded capelet reminiscent of Tikki. “You sleep well?” His bright green eyes gleamed with implication.

Adrien furrowed his brows before turning away; he could feel a healthy shade of red flushing through his cheeks. “Yeah, slept great!” There was no way he’d admit that after Ladybug gave him chin scratches and pets, he fell asleep without any time to panic about the fact that they were sharing a bed. His lady knew his weak spots, that was for sure!

“That’s good to hear…” The elder Plagg spoke, relief somehow evident in his voice as he lifted up a milk bottle. “Fed Emma this morning, but it’s about time again… ya wanna maybe…?”

Eagerly, Adrien scooped up his Little Purrincess and just gushed at how radiantly cute she was. A part of him just couldn’t wait until she could talk and start making cat puns of her own. Snuggling into her cheek, he took note of that adorable baby smell and found himself peppering her entire face with kisses. He wondered if she could just feel how much he adored her. Her joyous laughter was just infectious!

When the elder Plagg showed him how to correctly use the bottle to feed her, he began to laugh. “You’re such a dad!” A sad smile tugged at his lips as he thought about how Plagg had always been more of a parent than his own father had ever been. “Thanks.”

The elder Plagg flew over to Adrien’s cheek and snuggled against it. “You’ll always be my favorite kitten, Adrien.”

“Woah!” Adrien gasped as he felt the black cat hug his cheek.

His Plagg’s cheeks tinted red as he just crossed his arms with a huff. “G-Gross!”

Marinette, who had finally woken up, witnessed the heartfelt scene. “Wait! I’m part of the _Adrien Agreste Admiration Association_ too!” Called Ladybug as she wrapped her arms around him tight. Feeling his body grow warm at her touch, she had bet he was blushing while she buried her face into the back of his shirt.

“Fine!” Plagg grumbled and caved as he plopped himself on top of Adrien’s blond mop. “But don’t expect me to get all mushy like this all the time!”

As Adrien held Emma in his arms, he was completely surrounded by those who loved him.

And for a perfect piece of forever, they stayed like that, basking in the warmth of the new morning light.

* * *

Despite having been confined to their small cottage, the day spent with his future wife and daughter had been just as lovely as the night before.

Even the simplest of things from playing video games to cooking and eating together were getting to him because it wasn’t that long ago that they had seemed impossible— the situation itself a dream come to life.

Having had clung to the idea for so long, it was a wonder how he had forgotten...

The person he had once viewed as unattainable was going to be the person with whom he would walk through the future side by side and build a warm and loving home…

For the first time in a long time Adrien felt a sense of completeness and belonging.

And yet something tugged at his heartstrings, causing a bittersweet ache in his chest.

He would have a family, a beautiful, wonderful, family with her…

The lady of his dreams…

Deep down he knew who he loved, but despite all the hints and hopes, he couldn’t find the courage to just say her name.

* * *

“Look! I did Emma’s hair!” Ladybug called for Adrien excitedly from the bed. “Doesn’t pink just look adorable on her?”

Adrien lifted his head to see Ladybug holding Emma toward him, a familiar pink rose barrette looking like an oversized bow secured over her curly blonde cowlicks. “Beautiful…” his eyes fluttered to the smiling Ladybug as his fingers grazed the hairpin, “the both of you.” He whispered the words like they were the only truth in the whole universe.

“Eep!” A shade of pink darker than the bow trickled onto Ladybug’s cheeks; she hadn’t been caught off guard like that in weeks. “T-Thank you.” She whispered shyly before pressing Emma’s face to the side of his cheek. “Mwah! Hehe!”

Emma let out a yawn and began to drool down his cheek which just made him laugh. “Looks like it’s someone’s bedtime!” He took his future daughter in his arms and began to walk toward the nursery. The sheer fondness he held for Emma was something he just couldn’t put into words.

Ladybug nuzzled her daughter’s cheek before swaddling her in a kitty themed blanket. “How about a bedtime story?” They settled the beloved baby into the crib. “What story should we tell…?” Tapping her chin thoughtfully, she opened up the trunk. “Oh! How about the story of Kwamibuster!” She spoke excitedly as she grabbed the required plush dolls.

Adrien followed her lead as Ladybug began to narrate the story. Both Plaggs sort of gave her a look at how she’d placed the blame on their cheese obsession.

Emma fell asleep long before they could even talk about getting the drop on the akuma, which made Marinette a little sad because she had hoped to end the story with “And that’s how Momminette used all the Miraculous to trick Papa into thinking Ladybug and Multimouse were two different people,” but alas, she knew she needed to find an alternative.

“I can’t believe you have a Bananoir doll.” Adrien deadpanned as he placed the last of the dolls in the toy chest.

“I can’t believe you threw me off your scent by calling Françoise Dupont an ‘elementary school’ instead of a ‘high school.’ I executed this entire complex plan in order to stop you from figuring out my identity and you just— ugh.” She grabbed at the ends of her hair in frustration. “You know, we still have that banana costume somewhere in storage.”

Adrien let out a laugh as he followed Ladybug back into the bedroom. It was getting late and despite having gone through an evening routine, neither seemed to be tired yet.

Adrien climbed into bed and took note of her fragrance, feeling somehow intoxicated by her sweet scent. “ _Unmasked Love_?”

While stretching her arms, Ladybug tilted her head in confusion. “You mean my perfume?”

Closing his eyes, he inhaled more deeply. “It’s lovely… like…”

“Catnip?” She giggled as she watched his cheeks flush red.

Beneath the moonlight that beamed through the window, Adrien thought Ladybug looked ethereal. “I just… can’t believe you’re real…” He whispered while running his fingers through her hair, as if unable to trust his own senses. 

“Do you have an idea of who I am yet?” Ladybug whispered as they lied in bed.

“I do… but…” Adrien gazed into the bluebell eyes he knew all too well, “I’m still... afraid…” 

She pursed her lips before inhaling a deep breath; what she did then caught Adrien off guard— she’d begun to sing.

_“Oh, oh, oh_

_Amour chassé-croisé_

_Oh, oh, oh_

_Mon coeur aime Adrien_

_Oh, oh, oh…”_

She placed a hand to his face and began to caress his cheek, eliciting one of the deepest blushes she’d seen on him.

 _“Mais lui ne veut m'aimer que lorsque je deviens…_ _Ladybug…”_

She’d whispered the last word against his lips before pressing her forehead against his. “We’ve chased after each other like some ridiculous lovesquare since we were thirteen, but I want you to be sure…”

He leaned into her electrifying touch, his voice almost a purr as he found himself nuzzling his nose to hers. “I’m sure of my feelings for you…” He just had to find the courage to say her name out loud. 

Ladybug booped his nose, having felt all too tempted to kiss him then and there. Somehow finding the strength to pull away, she crawled over toward the foot of the bed and opened up a trunk. After a few seconds of digging around, she pulled out what looked to be a lucky charm. “Adrien, would you please read this?”

“What is it?” Adrien swallowed as he took the red album with black spots in his arms.

“What I planned to give you on Christmas…” Marinette spoke with bated breath. “Another love confession...”

Adrien’s eyes widened in shock at her words, his mouth painfully dry as he tried to swallow his fears. “Another…?”

Taking a seat at the edge of the bed, Adrien found himself trembling as he flipped open the cover.

**_What I Love About You…_ **

The faint floral scent tickled his nose as he flipped through the pages of pressed red roses. There were so many… “Ladybug…?” He swallowed painfully. “Are these roses ones that I…?”

“Uh huh…” She noised as she wrapped her arms around him. “Every single rose I’ve ever accepted from mon Chaton…” A small yawn escaped her lips as she rested her head on his shoulder. 

Each time he flipped the page, he found a rose and a small message in handwritten calligraphy that gave him insight as to what made her fall for him.

✾ _Your smile is like a gentle light_

✾ _Your hair shines golden like the sun_

✾ _You’re sweeter than any cinnamon roll_

✾ _Your kindness is unparalleled_

✾ _You always pick me up when I am down_

✾ _You know how to make me laugh_ _  
_ _(Yes, I’m admitting that I find_ **_some_ ** _of your puns funny)_

✾ _You’re the purrfect partner_

The pages went on and on, going into detail of the memories shared between the and roses suddenly transitioned into pictures of Adrien with Ladybug whether it be as himself or Chat Noir.

Ladybug’s lips pressed against the side of his neck; she could feel his bounding pulse. “For the longest time I wondered if I was in love with two different people. My heart was torn between you… and well, you—Adrien Agreste.”

Toward the end was a page with a single pink rose. A small photo strip of Aspik and Multimouse making funny faces at the camera slipped out _._ The page was titled **_Love is Blind._ **He turned the photo around and saw captions written in his and Ladybug’s respective handwriting.

♡ _You’re the most handsome egg!_

 **♥️** _You’re the cutest bug-mouse!_

His lips quivered as he placed the picture back in the album.

His heart pounded in his ears, there was just one page left. He finally had the courage to know who his Lady was beneath the mask and could feel his heart fluttering in happiness and anticipation.

Gathering up his courage, he flipped to the last page to see a picture of himself and the girl he loved standing on the steps of Françoise Dupont. He was taken by surprise at how that photo could exist… one of the moment he made his first friend.

**_Le coup de foudre._ **

_Beneath the rain_

_Under the cover of your umbrella_

_The moment our fingers brushed_

_I heard my heart start beating anew_

_And that’s when I knew_

_You had become my first love_

The back cover had one single phrase: _We were meant to be._

After closing the album, Adrien realized his eyes were wet and that tears were threatening to spill forth.

“Adrien!” Ladybug took note of his expression and immediately turned to kneel before him. She cupped his cheeks in her hands. “Adrien... do you know who I am now?” Gently, she kissed his forehead.

“Yes!” Adrien found the tears sliding down his face. “The Lady of my dreams…” He sucked in a breath as he gazed into her familiar bluebell eyes.

“Adrien…” Tears were beginning to well in the corners of her eyes as she placed his hands to the sides of her mask. “Who is it that you wanted to be beneath the mask?” She whispered, giving his hands an encouraging squeeze.

Adrien choked out a laugh as his tears spilled over, feeling so stupidly lucky. “It’s always been you… My Lady… my everyday Ladybug… my...” He felt her lift their hands upwards to remove the mask and reveal… “Marinette…!”

That ever-beautiful smile graced her lips, her eyes twinkling with mirth despite the tears. “Yes, Adrien...” 

His face burned as he felt all the blood rush to his cheeks and wondered how it could even be possible for Marinette to become more beautiful with age. “I love—”

Placing the lightest kiss to the side of his mouth, Marinette, his future wife, hushed him. Her serene blue eyes locked onto his jubilant green as she pulled him into an embrace. “Tell me when you get back…?” Her warm breath grazed his ears before she snuggled against the nape of his neck where she’d known him to be ticklish— the action causing him to let out a small laugh as he wrapped his arms around her body.

“I will…” Despite all the tears that streamed down his face, Adrien was drowning in happiness, overwhelmed at the feeling of falling in love all over again. He placed a chaste kiss against her brow and could feel her lips curve into a smile as he hugged her tighter. “I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for sticking with me through this journey! It’s been over six months since I started this series and I’m sad to say it’s almost over (I plan to update next before XMAS since I’m going to draw some art for the last few chapters). I won’t make another series as long as this ever again, but please take a look at my other works!
> 
> P.S: The secret ingredient to the Unmasked Love fragrance is catmint. XD


	27. Home is just being by your side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter switches back and forth between present and future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to one of the most amazing writers I've ever met, Dru! It made me so happy to hear you were a fan of this series before you even started writing! You're beautiful, sweet, and ultra talented! Your fics are so lovely and just place the biggest smile on my face. :)  
> PS: Thanks for leaving a comment on every chapter before this. XD

“Ma Petite Coccinelle…” Adrien purred as he climbed onto Marinette’s bed. “Whatchu doing?” He wrapped his arms around her middle and nuzzled his face against her cheek, his prickly whiskers eliciting from her a small squeak.

Having almost bitten her tongue at his actions, her brows furrowed before she decided on placing a hand to his cheek. “I’m doing what you asked, Chaton.” With a giggle, she pushed his face away, finding him too handsome to take so early in the morning. “This is single-handedly the most important thing I’ll ever get to design!” She bounced and wiggled against the mattress, surprised at how she hadn’t gone into a full on panic at how many hours she’d spent with Adrien over the course of a weekend.

“Worry not, My Lady…” He brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face. “It will all turn out _purrfectly_.” 

Marinette blushed as she glanced down at the wedding dress she was designing… It was her wedding dress. “You and me getting married… is like something I’ve only ever dreamed of...”

“Nothing’s impawsible, not for us.” He poked the wrinkle between her brows. “Oh, I almost forgot she even existed, but would it help to know that we’ll ban Lila from setting foot anywhere near the venue?” He brushed her bangs away from her eyes before kissing her forehead.

“Oh?” She twirled a lock of her hair playfully, lashes fluttering as she flashed him an alluring smile. “That does sound _purrfect_.”

“Worry not, Ma Petite Coccinelle, Lila Rossi’s lies will be exposed all in due time.” Adrien’s shoulders shook as he let out a deep laugh. “I’ll even have a restraining order filed against her effective the moment we graduate.”

It took everything in Marinette’s power to not just squeal in delight as she proceeded to cover his entire face with kisses!

* * *

Adrien stood in his future home’s office/studio flipping through this and that as Marinette worked on Manon’s princess dress. Now that he finally knew who was beneath Ladybug’s mask, everything was so glaringly obvious to the point that he wondered how he didn’t see it before! He tried to blame the magic’s glamour effect, but still felt some frustration at how blind he’d been. He’d always thought of Marinette as more than just a friend, but at least now, he knew why. When he stumbled upon Marinette’s sketchbook in which he, as Chat Noir, drew pictures of their future kittens, his heart just squeezed in delight. “Marinette! Oh, Marinette…”

“Yes, Adrien…” Marinette smiled softly at how Adrien just continued to call her name, no Ladybug, no My Lady or Princess… just plain ol’ Marinette. “What is it?”

Adrien was touched at how she’d kept the drawing even after all the years that’d passed. “I’m so glad it’s you!” He beamed her the brightest smile, eliciting the cutest blush from her.

She dropped her face in her hands and began to wiggle in place. “Stop, please! It’s so embarrassing!”

At the sight of her signature happy butt wiggle, Adrien could only confirm once more that Ladybug was indeed the very cute and charming Marinette Dupain-Cheng. He wrapped his hands around her wrists to pull her hands away. “I’m just so happy!” He was overjoyed that it was her and that this was their future.

His smile was bright like the sun and his eyes glimmered with endless awe and admiration for her.

Marinette’s lips twitched and her expression softened.

She wondered how long it’d been since she’d seen her husband smile like the Adrien before her once had.

Before this whole mess, she had wondered if she’d be enough…

But he reminded her that she had been and always would be.

“You’ve got way too much energy!” A pout formed on her lips.

Adrien rocked back and forth on his heels, unable to stop himself from grinning. “Then what do you suggest I do with it?” He asked before lifting her petite body up into the air.

A playful smile graced her features as she booped his nose. “Maybe we should go on patrol.” She clutched his shoulders to twist herself out of his grasp.

Adrien watched as she retrieved the miracle box and pulled out a familiar pendant. “Is that—”

A small mouse kwami then materialized out of thin air before giving their greeting. “Good day to you, Guardian Marinette!” Mullo’s pink eyes shifted around the room. “Where is Mylène?”

“Sorry, Mullo, she isn’t here.” She patted the kwami’s ears fondly. “Since Tikki isn’t around, I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind allowing me to transform for a quick patrol.”

“Oh!” Pink eyes gleamed with glee. “It’s been so long, Marinette!” The small mouse spun in the air before launching herself against her Master’s cheek.

Adrien’s heart thumped in his chest; he was finally going to see Marinette transform!

Taking a deep breath, Marinette flashed a smile at Adrien. “Mullo! Get squeaky!” And with a burst of pink light, she’d transformed into Multimouse.

Marinette could see how his eyes just sparkled in awe.

“You’re sooo cute!” Adrien gushed as he patted one of her hair buns.

She huffed slightly as she crossed her arms and tried to look tough.

“Multitude!” She then divided into two. “Mominette’s gotta stay with Emma.”

One Multimouse sat on the floor beside Emma who was tapping at a big, soft ball of fluffy yarn. Whenever she’d tossed it too far, Plagg would just help to roll the string back into place for his kitten to claw at again.

“Awww, we can’t take her with us?” Adrien joked before calling on his transformation as well.

Both of them gave him a look that somehow made him swoon and think that if she’d kicked his ass right then and there he would only find himself saying things like _“Yes, please!”_ or _“Thank you!”_

* * *

Marinette blushed as her future husband held her hand in his like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Holding hands like this, it was comfortable, safe, warm, and… so happy…

A gentle smile tugged at her lips at how she would teach him how to sew. He’d told her that when they found out they were pregnant, how he would make accessories for Emma from spare fabrics or hand embroider little pink paw prints and toe beans onto all of the baby clothes. 

They’d spent the majority of the day locked up in her room designing and sewing. Adrien handed her a sketchbook and insisted they immediately place the order for the lace to be made as it would take months to make.

And as they exited the artisan lace shop to custom order what she’d designed, Marinette couldn’t help but think she was dreaming all over again.

The amount of spoilers this Adrien had given her was ridiculous, but all told in hopes of reassuring her that they were truly each other’s endgame.

With some confidence, she intertwined their fingers more tightly as they walked along the Pont des Arts. Her blush blended with the pinks of sunset sky as the fingers of her freehand grazed the love locks on the bridge.

“They get rid of this attraction soon...” Adrien whispered, the fact making Marinette’s pink lips shift into a small frown. “Worry not, Ma Petite Coccinelle, we lock our love elsewhere before throwing the key into the Seine.” He kissed her forehead before ruffling her hair. 

A soft smile tugged at Marinette’s lips as she reveled in the feeling of his touch. He was so gentle with her. A surge of affection bloomed through her heart and a part of her wondered if Adrien found himself loving her future self as much as she loved his. “Then I look forward to that day.”

* * *

Night befell the city with Chat Noir and Multimouse laughing and dancing across the rooftops of Paris, having spent the day playing games of cat and mouse.

From the Eiffel Tower they gazed down at the City of Love, lights twinkling like stars below as they basked in the warmth of each other’s affection.

A slight purr reverberated from Chat Noir’s chest as he laid his head on his Lady’s lap. With fondness, Multimouse began to stroke his windblown hair, enjoying the softness of her young beloved’s shorter blond locks.

Marinette hadn’t been worried about what Adrien saw around the city, because she could tell by how his eyes sparkled that he was looking only at her.

“It’s getting late…” Multimouse mused as she tapped his bell. It’d been about a year since she’d last seen it on her husband’s costume, the accessory having suddenly disappeared after they returned from the wedding venue. “Shall we head home?” She whispered as she laced his fingers with hers.

“Home…” Chat Noir’s face flushed at her playful smile before gazing down at their fingers, intertwined. To him, home would just be being by her side... “Yes… let’s go home!”

* * *

From within the confines of his Princess’ pink tower, Adrien helped Marinette place all the finishing touches to her Valentine’s Day dress.

“Ahhh! I can’t believe how pretty it turned out!!” Marinette gushed as she removed the creation she’d designed from the dress form. “I’m gonna go try it on!” She spoke excitedly as she ran behind the folding screen, humming in excitement.

“Tikki, can you do me a favor?” He whispered to his young beloved’s kwami.

“Sure!” Chirped Tikki, who immediately flew over after finishing the last crumb of her cookie. “What’d you have in mind?”

The future Tikki just giggled at her counterpart as Adrien reached into his bag and pulled out a golden shoebox labeled _Christian Louboutin._ Adrien lifted the lid to show off the crystal studded transparent pumps nestled over red fabric. “They’re not made of glass, but I thought they’d be fitting for my Princess.” He whispered fondly as he placed the heels back into the box. “Think you can keep it hidden from her until tomorrow?”

Holding back a squeal, Tikki nodded before zooming over to a large trunk. “Over here will be perfect!”

Adrien lifted up the lid to see the trunk nearly filled to the brim with presents all addressed to him. “Okay, what’s this?” He raised a brow turned to the two ladybug kwamis who’d suddenly just burst out in a fit of muffled giggles.

“Marinette has presents prepared for you up until you turn fifty!” The Tikkis spoke in unison as they gave each other a high-five.

He narrowed his eyes at their tricks ready to say something, but faintly heard the sound of a zipper pulling. “I’ll remember this for next time!” He mumbled before placing the box in the center and shutting the lid.

“I’m ready!” Mariette beamed a smile as she pulled back the divider, not catching Adrien scrambling to look natural as possible after he’d jumped onto the chaise.

His eyes fluttered upward from an old fashion magazine he’d held upside down and over to her. His mouth fell wide, not having fully remembered the details of her in the dress until now. “Oh wow, Marinette…” He felt himself falling in love all over again.

Marinette’s cheeks flushed pink as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear; she’d pulled off the ties to let down her hair from its signature pigtails. “H-How is it?”

Adrien dropped what he was doing and immediately wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her up with ease, her skirt swishing through the air. “Gorgeous, Ma Petite Coccinelle!”

Marinette’s eyes widened as she felt him start to pull her down, his face getting closer and closer. “Eep!” She squealed as she felt him kiss the side of her mouth, just barely missing her lips. “Adrien!” Her cheeks felt so hot! “That isn’t fair!”

“A kiss on the lips isn’t fair until we’re officially together, for now though, the rest of your adorable face is fair game.” He gave her a smouldering look which caused her to start banging her fists on his shoulder.

“No!” She whined, a small pout forming on her lips as she covered her face with her hands. “I-If you keep that up then I’ll want more…”

A heartwarming laugh escaped Adrien’s lips before he pursed them into a thin line. Inhaling a deep breath, catching the faint, youthful scent of her perfume, he pulled her into a hug. “Come tomorrow, you’ll have all of me… forever.”

* * *

As Adrien cleared the dinner table, Marinette lifted the enchanted rose from the counter and placed it into their bedroom. There was just one petal left before he would have to leave and switch back...

“Adrien… don’t worry about the dishes… let’s just head to bed early… it’s been a long day.” Marinette whispered as she cradled Emma in her arms. “I’m sure you’d like to spend more time with Emma too, right?”

Taking note of how his time here was coming to an end, Adrien took one final look at the cottage before locking his gaze onto his Lady and Little Purrincess. “Of course…” Adrien just beamed a smile, one that could light up the darkness of the night as he followed her to the bedroom. He wrapped his arms around her waist leaning in so their noses brushed, feeling Emma turn to nuzzle her face to his chest. “I’m so happy that you’re my future… my forever.” 

As Adrien lay on the bed facing Marinette, Emma secured in a loving embrace between them, he couldn’t help but still be excited for what morning would bring.

“Try not to miss me too much, okay, Chaton?” Marinette patted his hair; she always liked hearing him purr at bedtime, it placed her at ease knowing he would sleep well. Her sleepy eyes shifted over to the enchanted rose at their bedside. The last petal would fall sometime during the night and when she woke again, she hoped all would be well. “Gotta remember to live in the present…” She grinned, motioning to the space around them. “Someday soon, we’ll be here again… together.”

“With you by my side I feel stronger than ever…” Adrien sleepily gazed down at the sleeping child between them, soft, precious, innocent. “I want to go to bed and wake up just like this, every day, with you in my arms. I promise to cherish you, Emma, Hugo, and Louis too…” With eyes filled with nothing but admiration and love for his lady, he leaned in close to kiss her forehead. “And if I’m foolish enough to ever forget it, I know you’ll be here to save me…”

Hopeful green eyes met a misty blue and it took everything in her not to cry. Blinking back the tears that threatened to fall, Marinette inhaled a deep breath, finding comfort in the warmth of his embrace before hardening her resolve. With eyes unwavering, she looked back at him placing a hand over his chest where she knew he’d someday get his ladybug tattoo, his heart leaping at her touch. Knowing she’d be enough, that the family they’d create would be better than any dream, she gave him the biggest smile she could manage as sleep overtook him.

“I love you, My Adrien...”

* * *

Adrien bit back a laugh, gazing down at his young beloved as she nuzzled her face deeper into his shirt to wipe her drool. Gently, he brushed her bangs with his fingers before pressing a chaste kiss to her temple. With some reluctance, he lifted her body from his lap onto the bed. Knowing the habit she’d form of trying to pull him back to her, he immediately slipped the giant cat pillow above them into her arms.

Grabbing the Adrien no. 4 cologne at her bedside table, Adrien slapped his hand over his mouth as he spritzed her pillow with more of the fragrance. “So cute!” He silently gushed, hoping his scent would help her sleep. As he called on his transformation, he watched her cuddle it closer.

“Ah…” She buried her face into the cat plush’s fur and inhaled deeply. “Adrien…”

Mister Bug smiled gently as he pressed a small kiss to the hollow of her ear. “I love you, you’re my home, my everything, and starting tomorrow I’m going to stand right by your side protecting your heart and our future.” 

“Forever…” A smile graced Marinette lips as she fell deeper into a blissful slumber.

* * *

Marinette stirred at the feeling of someone stroking her hair. “Rise and shine, My Lady…”

Eyebrows furrowing and lashes flutter, Marinette opened her eyes to meet the gorgeous green eyes of her beloved. “My Adrien…” After exhaling a breath of relief, a gentle smile graced her lips. “You’re back…” She murmured as she felt him kiss her cheek.

“Yeah, I am…” Adrien whispered, his thumb brushing her lips before kissing them. “I’m home.” He whispered, caressing her cheek.

“Welcome home…” Marinette nuzzled into his palm and felt the coolness of the ring on his finger. “Emma gave your Miraculous back to you?”

“Yeah, it was really cute… as I put her back in her crib it was like she tried to slip it back onto my finger on her own, like I finally deserved to have it back.” Adrien murmured as he pressed his lips to her temple. “Marinette… I’m sorry for having left… for treating you the way I did.”

“Hm…” Marinette stirred before letting out a small whimper. “If you were really sorry then you’d let me stay in bed for another five...” 

“Hours?” A deep chuckle escaped his throat as he pressed a hot kiss to her neck. “I can do that... but I won’t guarantee you’ll spend it all sleeping…”

Marinette’s blue eyes shot open to look at her husband with a glaringly cute pout. “Adrien Agreste!” 

Adrien let out another laugh, one from the heart, before pressing a kiss to his wife’s lips. “I love you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Agreste!”

Her chest filled with warmth as he held her. And with every touch, every look, and every kiss she felt the whole-hearted devotion of his feelings, the doubts that he’d had fading away to make room for the comfort he’d found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LMAO, sorry it's been so long since I last posted here, we can blame Blue for not having chosen a sooner day to update. I got so caught up in fun fun dark fics in October and sweet silly crack fics in November despite this chapter having been finished months ago — I wanted to draw some pictures for the last few chapters, lol, sorry they're not that great, but _I TRIED_.  
> I plan to update the Lukagami spin-off series with an XMAS chapter so check it out if you get a chance! It'll be about the events that led up to the video chat between Kagami and Marinette back in Chapter 18.


	28. The Future Is in Their Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> LMAO this chapter was delayed by 2 days because my dumb ass thought it'd be a great idea to draw a buhjillion pictures for this chapter.  
> WARNING: Excessive use of CAT PUNS, I tried to be clawver.  
> I drew out what the kittens looked like and added them to chapter 2!
> 
>   
>   
>   
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to some of my best friends on the Miraculous Discord server, Ladybuginette and Denniso.

The summer heat was getting to be unbearable at times.

Marinette sighed as she sat in the garden behind the cottage and stared at the Miracle Box.

“What’s wrong, My Lady?” Adrien spoke in wonder as he presented her with a cool cocktail. It was rare for his wife to take a morning off at home with him rather than go to her atelier to design, but he noticed that she was doing it more often than not lately.

Thankful for the refreshing beverage, Marinette gave him a weak smile before pulling her knees to her chest. “Just thinking about the future…” Another soft sigh escaped her lips. “I know it’s a ways away, but I... I can’t be Ladybug forever…”

Adrien swallowed a lump in his throat. 

Being the Guardian of the Miraculous did not come without its fair share of burdens. Marinette was going to outlive him… he just knew it. Their old master, Fu, was almost 200 years old when he finally passed. The thought of Marinette potentially living a century or more without him… well, it hurt.

He wondered if she was planning for that.

Marinette took note of her husband’s grim expression and gasped. “Oh no, no, Adrien…” She gently placed her hand in his to provide some reassurance. “I meant more like… I wonder to whom I should entrust the Ladybug Miraculous if Emma and the twins decide that they want to…”

“It’s a ways away, but I can see why you’re worried…” His eyes shifted toward the clear blue sky.

The things around them were ever-changing.

The people in their lives had come and gone.

Nino and Alya spent a majority of the year travelling between gigs and chasing leads. And while they adored Adrien and Marinette’s kittens, the couple never had any children of their own.

While Jagged Stone toured, Luka would be gone for days if not weeks at a time.

Kagami could be gone for who knows how long when she was training for the Olympic Games.

The two had a union that worked for them and only them.

Their daughter Kanon bounced back and forth between the grandmother of her choosing of the day and was much too understanding of her parents’ seemingly long distance relationship. And if Kanon Tsurugi truly wanted to inherit the Dragon Miraculous, then Emma would have her best friend as an ally.

Emma was bright, a good judge of character, and a natural born leader whose positive outlook on life was absolutely infectious and for that, her parents were thankful.

Pressing a trail of kisses against the tattoo on her shoulder, Adrien wrapped his arms around her middle before giving his beloved a comforting squeeze. He then shifted his hands upward to rub his hands in soothing circles against his wife’s back. She continued to exhale her soft sighs. 

After having gone back inside and placing the Miracle Box in the safe, Marinette leaned her head on Adrien’s shoulder, trying to enjoy the moment and wondering if one day she and Adrien could just live normal lives. She felt him wrap his arm around her and kiss her cheek before giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. The gesture made her smile.

Marinette knew that she was going to need to entrust the Miraculous to the next generation.

She needed Tikki to be with someone brave, strong, and kind hearted…

“I just wish I had a way of knowing the future was…” 

“Marinette! Adrien! Transform now and come with me!” Bunnyx suddenly screeched from her Burrow.

Shocked at her sudden and frantic appearance, the couple nodded to each other and did as they were told.

* * *

The sounds of discord and mayhem flooded the streets of a futuristic Paris.

“What’s going on, Bunnyx?” Ladybug’s eyes widened when Bunnyx just closed the Burrow.

Furrowing her brows, she looked down at the city below which seemed to be in mass chaos. 

Realizing how she and Chat Noir were launched in the midst of a battle, Ladybug almost found herself ready to curse out Bunnyx.

Bunnyx did this occasionally, dropped them off somewhere to fight without any explanation.

Sometimes Ladybug wondered why she even bothered.

“Come on now! Let’s play a game of cat and mouse!” A sweet voice bellowed toward the mutant rats down below.

Ladybug eyes flickered toward the girl leaping around the city. The girl’s rose gold ombre hair was pulled back with a cat ear shaped buns adorned with pearls while her outfit consisted of a sleek white catsuit with ribbons, pearl accents, and rosette cat spots; it reminded her almost of a snow leopard. The girl turned to Ladybug, the lens of her mask’s visor shimmering pink with the sunlight.

When their eyes met, the girl gasped and frantically began to wave as she ditched the rats and came over to them. “Are you kitten me!? Bunnyx said she’d grab me some reinforcements! I never thought it’d be you two, though!” The girl grinned before kissing both of Ladybug’s cheeks. “Thanks for coming!” When her eyes met Chat Noir’s, she suddenly leapt into his arms. 

“Woah!” Chat Noir nervously looked to his wife as the white cat began to snuggle her face into his chest. “Hey, um—”

“This is going to be so pawsome!” The teenage cat girl squealed. bouncing up and down.

“Ahem.” Ladybug crossed her arms and raised a brow; for some reason, she found herself feeling jealous, but not enraged. “Mind updating us on the situation, Little Kitty…” 

“Oh!” She giggled before making a cute pose. “I’m Belle Lynx!” She then motioned toward the city. “As you can see, Farfalla has become quite the fur-midable opponent and as cathletic as I am, the situation has become a real cat-astrophe!”

Chat Noir gasped. “How un-fur-tunate!” His eyes were sparkling as if he adored her from the very bottom of his heart.

“It’s claw-ful! I was really feline the pressure after Ryu-chan got captured at the other end of the city!” Belle Lynx exclaimed. “Thankfully, Bunnyx peeked out of her Burrow and said she’d grab a fur-end or two!”

A small groan escaped Ladybug, her eye visibly twitching. Had Bunnyx sent her here to be PUN-ished? “You’re the holder of the Black Cat Miraculous, right?” She took note of the mismatching ring on Belle Lynx’s ring finger before giving the city a quick look around. “Where’s your partner…?”

“Belle!” A voice suddenly called out. “Sorry, I’m late! I had a hard time trying to leave my apartment unnoticed. Are you ok…?” A boy in a ladybug-themed suit appeared in the nick of time.

“Good day, Milord! How lovely it is for you to grace us with your purresence!” Belle Lynx flashed a flirtatious look in his direction as she wrapped a clawed hand on his shoulder. “Might I say you look ravishing today as always? Truly the cat’s meow!”

Chat Noir’s cheeks puffed out as he turned away from the pair, trying to hold back his laughter as he met the eyes of his wife who’d done the same.

Ladybug gritted her teeth, painfully, trying so hard not to snort at the girl’s attempt at flirting.

Flustered at her unbridled advances, his cheeks flushed almost as red as his suit. “Belle, please, I—” The boy coughed awkwardly, gently removing her hand as he took a second to catch his breath. When he looked up then realized who he was looking at. “W-Wah, Ladybug and Chat Noir?” He gasped like an awestruck fanboy.

“In the flesh!” Chat Noir flexed. “Nice to meet ya... Mister Bug?” He inquired as he held out his hand, taking note of the costume’s extremely similar design. 

“Ba-Baron Beetle!” He chirped awkwardly before shaking hands. “Pl-Pleasure to meet you!”

Marinette took in his appearance with slight awe, not knowing exactly how far in the future Bunnyx had sent them. The young man before looked to be in his late teens like Belle Lynx, his tousled hair a chestnut color with the faintest highlights of red, his eyes and skin olive. A part of her felt some relief, whoever this person was… was chosen to be the new holder of the Ladybug Miraculous. “The pleasure is ours.” Ladybug spoke as she extended her hand out to him.

Just before they could shake hands, a few more explosions went off in the background.

“But maybe we should get started?” She mused, dropping her arm before he could take hold of her hand.

The four heroes nodded to each other before leaping into action.

* * *

“Cataclysm!” Chat Noir and Belle Lynx worked well together, their movements in sync and nearly identical.

Ladybug and Baron Beetle, however, were different when it came to their Lucky Charms.

After they’d been summoned, Ladybug frantically looked around their surroundings, but Baron Beetle… he had his eyes closed.

He was focused, silent, taking in his surroundings, using all of his other senses.

Belle Lynx took note of how her partner began his process and had his back the entire time. It took him just a few seconds, but when he opened his eyes again to meet Ladybug’s gaze, she knew that he’d figured out the key to the puzzle.

Wordlessly, they nodded to each other and combined their Lucky Charms to defeat the akuma.

* * *

As the Miraculous Ladybugs worked their magic to repair the damage around them, Belle Lynx leapt toward Baron Beetle. “Miraculous work as always, Milord. What say we grab dinner and a mew-vie after this?” She flashed him a sweet smile.

Ladybug and Chat Noir met back up with them, having heard her tail end of her pick up line.

“Belle, we’ve been over this,” Baron Beetle pinched the bridge of his nose, “I have a girlfriend.”

Belle Lynx’s ears couldn’t droop, but Baron Beetle could almost imagine they could. “You really aren’t feline the connection between us?” She pouted cutely as she tilted her head sideways like a cat.

Getting flustered, his cheeks reddened. “I—” His and Kitty’s Miraculouses beeped in warning. “I gotta go!”

Holding back a laugh, Belle Lynx blew him a kiss. “Farewell, Milord.”

Blushing even deeper at her gesture, he furrowed his brows slightly before turning his attention back to Ladybug and Chat Noir. “Thank you for your help.”

“Until next time.” Ladybug smiled kindly as she and her husband held their fists out to the teens.

_“Bien Joué!”_

After a shy wave, Baron Beetle bowed his head slightly and politely took his leave.

Then suddenly, Belle Lynx burst into a fit of giggles. “Isn’t he pawsitively adorable?” Her Miraculous was beeping frantically as they all leapt down into a secluded alley.

“I suppose, but if he has a girlfriend, you really shouldn’t push it... ” Ladybug frowned slightly; the way the girl flirted included more puns than she ever remembered Chat Noir including in his pick up lines.

Chat Noir took note of how the young girl’s Miraculous was down to its last paw pad. “Belle Lynx, your transformation’s about to run out, shouldn’t you—”

“Oh, it’s not a purroblem!” She giggled. “Claws In!”

The pair’s eyes widened at her de-transformation. Under all the Miraculous glamour was a young girl with bright green eyes, golden blonde hair, and a familiar pearl headband shaped like cat ears. “Emma?!”

“Hey, Mom! Hey, Dad!” She greeted with a small wave before her smile morphed into a huge grin. “So… what’d you think of my boyfriend? Quite the cat-ch, amirite?”

“B-Boyfriend?!” Chat Noir visibly blanched.

“Wait!” Her mother gasped. “Don’t tell me… the girlfriend he’s talking about is…”

“Yup…” Plagg just rolled his eyes as Emma handed him a piece of Camembert. “Minette’s just teasing the poor boy, he's really in quite the dil-Emma.”

“Plagg!” Emma huffed at the pun before turning to her parents. “Hehe… yeah, he’s dating Emma, but he doesn’t know Emma is Belle Lynx!” She rubbed the back of her neck coyly. “It’s purrty funny, but I’m sure he won’t be too mad! After all, we’ve been together since we were kids!” She giggled once more. “But hey, at least we don’t have to deal with a lovesquare!”

Ladybug was speechless for a moment before some pieces began to click into place. “Wait, wait, the boy our Emma has a crush on is…”

Emma took note of how Bunnyx silently opened up a Burrow behind her parents and placed a finger to her lips in signal.

Chat Noir clenched his hands into fists, his blood boiling at how his dear sweet daughter had revealed herself to be dating her partner. “So the new Ladybug Miraculous holder is going to be…”

“OH!” Emma chirped. “Well, would you look at the time? Before my date tonight, I should go feed the hamster! This one’s name is—”

Ladybug and Chat Noir yelped as Bunnyx pulled them back into her Burrow and hurled them back where they belonged. “Thanks for your help, bye!”

“Wait a min—” The pair caught sight of Emma and Plagg waving before the portal closed.

* * *

For an unknown amount of time, the pair simply lied on the backyard grass in silence, just staring at each other, awestruck and trying to process the newfound knowledge they’d obtained.

“Mama!” 

Marinette whipped her head around to see Louis calling out to her from the door.

“Dad!! You’ll never guess what happened!” Hugo hopped out of the cottage and leapt on top of his Father’s abdomen.

“Oof!” Adrien noised before snapping out of his daze. “H-Hue?” He noised, suddenly thankful for the strength and protection of his super-suit. “What’s going on?” He asked as he began to sit up and settle his child upright.

The couple undid their transformations and helped each other stand up.

In an instant, Louis wrapped his arms around his mother’s leg and snuggled up to her. “Mama…”

“Is everything okay, mes chéries?” Marinette asked as she lifted him up, worried if there was trouble. 

Hugo made the biggest grin, green eyes gleaming with mischief as his father carried him back toward their home. “Emma’s brought a boy home!” He began to cackle as he tattled on his sister.

Adrien halted to a stop in the hallway, drooping his head. “That Little…” His body began to tremble and quake making Hugo hold on for dear life. “PURRINCESS!”

“Adrien!” Marinette gasped as she followed after him as he stomped his way through the house. “Wait—” As they turned into their daughter’s room, Marinette’s eyes hovered over to a boy with olive skin and eyes. As the family hamster hopped off his shoulder and into his hands, she caught a glimpse of what looked to be hearing aids from beneath his slightly fluffy chestnut-colored hair.

“Oh! Mom! Dad! You’re here!” Emma chirped as she grabbed onto the young boy’s hand and dragged him along. “This is the friend I told you about!” Her smile was brighter than the sun. “His name is…”

After placing the hamster back into its ball, the boy bowed his head slightly, wincing as he adjusted his hearing aids. “No-Nolan…” He held his small hand out shyly, still not quite used to speaking in French. “Ma-My na-name i-is Nolan Rossi.” He lifted his head to give them a polite smile, one that Marinette found to be pure and sweet. “It’s uh, a puh-pleasure ta-to meet you…”

Marinette gazed into the young boy’s eyes. Despite some of his features matching his mother’s, Marinette felt none of the feelings she’d once associated with Lila.

Adrien still seemed skeptical. Seething his breath through his teeth, he waited for his wife to make the first move.

“The pleasure is ours.” Gently, the Guardian of the Miraculous placed her hand into Nolan’s and just knew… “We’ll look forward to seeing more of you in the future.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone wanna guess what the hamster's name is?  
> I won’t expand on Emma and Nolan’s story or their fight against Farfalla, but I will let you know the day he finds out Emma is Belle Lynx is on their wedding day. Lila/Farfalla isn’t there, but an akuma attacks toward the end of the reception and literally half the room transforms, no one’s parents even batting an eye. Nolan is left looking like a surprised Pikachu, taking a minute to process before calling for his transformation. He also takes on the last name Agreste! 11JJ11 mentioned that if Wayhem ever found out he had a son who took on the last name Agreste, he'd probably fanboy like crazy. XD  
> Next update is planned for Valentine's Day.


	29. We're Meant to Be

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Put a tiny bit of marcnath in there per BlueMoonMessenger's request.  
> Hehe, I timed this chapter to be released around Valentine's Day.  
> I was going to draw a comic, but oof, nope that did not happen so I doodled up like a few other pictures instead.  
> This chapter is dedicated to my amazing cinnamon roll beta, Khanofallorcs.

When Adrien opened his eyes again, he was faced with the familiar scene of his bedroom.

For a moment, he felt a faint wave of loneliness tug at his heart at the fact that Marinette wasn’t by his side, but at the same time a newfound hope… he needed to remedy the issue as soon as possible!

“Morning, Kid.” Plagg greeted, from his desk, Camembert wedge in mouth. 

Relief washed over him as he saw his kwami. Adrien lifted himself out of bed and hummed softly. “That wasn’t just a dream, right?” 

“Nope, and looks like your future self left some stuff out for you.” Plagg yawned as he pointed to a black ensemble with green accented. 

Adrien ran his fingers over the fabric and recognized the design immediately, having worn the very same outfit just days prior. “Marinette made this…” 

“Best wear a jacket over that kid, it’s still a bit chilly out.” Plagg brought him a casual black blazer from his closet.

Adrien nodded in agreement as he opened up a letter sitting by the forever rose on his desk.

Note to Self:

_All the pieces are in place, the rest is up to you._

_Now go get her, otherwise absolutely no one will let you hear the end of it._

After scanning the note, Adrien laughed at how laconic his future self was, having half expected a book titled _Spoiler Alert!_

Adrien quickly got dressed and ready for the day, making sure to wear the bracelet Marinette had given him for luck. After packing the crystal rose securely into his messenger bag, he made his way down the steps and to the dining table to eat his breakfast.

There was a slightly wider arrangement of food served that morning, including several plates and a steaming pot of coffee that neither Adrien nor his father ever drank.

Adrien and Plagg gave each other a look, definitely confused.

A small grunt was noised in greeting as his bodyguard took up two chairs worth of space beside him to his right.

“Apologizes for being late.” Nathalie cleared her throat as she pulled out the chair to his left. “We hope we didn’t keep you waiting too long.” Her tone was even as she took a seat beside him.

“Um…?” Adrien began to fidget in his seat, wondering why his father’s assistant and bodyguard were suddenly sitting down with him for breakfast.

“Now, shall we?” Nathalie motioned to Guillaume who then began to serve himself some breakfast.

“I-Is this really okay?” Adrien chirped. “N-Not that I wouldn’t appreciate the company, but…”

“You expressed to me yesterday that you were feeling rather lonely and requested that Guillaume and I make a habit of joining you whenever possible for meals.” Nathalie had taken a sip of her coffee before pausing. “I’ve talked it over with your father and he has agreed that it is all right.”

A sudden wave of relief washed over Adrien at the sight of the not so lonely dining table and at the end of the meal, he almost felt his heart to be as full as his stomach.

* * *

Valentine’s Day in the City of Love was undeniably festive, the reds and pinks abounding as Adrien saw from the car window as his bodyguard drove him to school. When Adrien exited the car and approached the steps of Françoise Dupont, he couldn’t help but feel all eyes on him.

Rumors that Adrien was going to finally confess to Marinette had spread through the school. Couples, previously engrossed in their own affairs, stopped what they were doing at the sight of Adrien walking through the halls. So many people were excited about the Adrinette ship finally going to sail! 

“See you at lunch, Marc.” Nathaniel squeezed his boyfriend’s hand before reluctantly letting go.

“Miss you already…” Having found the courage to peck his boyfriend’s cheek, a very flushed Marc chirped his reply as his face turned as red as his hoodie. 

Nathaniel turned as red as his hair, as his boyfriend shyly ran off to his class. Clapping his hand over his mouth to hold back a silent scream at his cuteness, his eyes frantically searched for a distraction and eventually landed on Adrien. “Hey man, got any date plans for after you confess to Marinette?”

“Huh? How do you…” Adrien could tell by his classmate’s expression that it was an innocent enough inquiry. “Not sure yet… gotta make sure she accepts my confession first.”

“Everything will be fine so long as she doesn’t faint.” Nathaniel stifled back a laugh as he slipped into the art room to grab some materials he had left behind. “Glad you finally came to your senses. Good luck, Adrien!”

When Adrien entered the classroom, despite there not being many people inside, all eyes immediately locked onto him. Taking a deep breath, his gaze shifted over to Nino and Alya who were sitting together in the second row, motioning for him to get to his seat.

From afar, he could see something sparkly on his desk. When he got closer, he realized it was covered in heart-shaped confetti and glitter. “Um…?” Adrien raised a brow, ready to ask why they’d littered his desk when suddenly a handful of fresh rose petals were thrown over him to add to the effect.

“Congratulations!” The couple spoke in unison, their laughs echoing through the classroom as their other classmates gathered.

“So when are you confessing to Marinette?” Mylène asked as Ivan carried her in his arms. 

Adrien furrowed his brows, finally figuring out that must have been why everyone was looking at him with such interest. “How does everyone…?

“Don’t tell me you forgot?” Alya scoffed as she pulled up the second seat she’d shot on Friday and pressed PLAY. “I’ve got proof, Buttercup!”

Adrien watched the video and saw himself take a stand at the front of the classroom. _“Hey, everyone. I apologize for acting out of character. I know that Marinette’s got a crush on me and it seems I realized that I like her back, so, I’m officially asking Marinette out on Valentine’s Day. Thank you everyone for having kept her secret so long, despite how frustrating it may have seemed. Please give us your support!”_ After the announcement was made, the sound of a class wide applause soon followed.

His eyes widened in surprise. That... wasn’t him; well, it _was_ him, but his future self! Biting his tongue to hold back the urge to argue, he ran his fingers through his hair in slight frustration and had to hold back from barking out a laugh as he thought back to “Note to Self.” He knew himself well enough to try to make sure he wouldn’t act like some damned scaredy cat, well, at least not anymore.

* * *

As luck would have it, on one of the most monumentally important days of her life, Marinette Dupain-Cheng woke up exactly thirty minutes later than she’d intended to.

“Marinette!” Tikki huffed as she rammed against her holder’s cheek. “You’re going to be late!” The kwami whined in the highest octave she could manage.

“Huh?” Snapping out of her snooze, she lifted up her cell phone.

_February 14_

_8:15 am_

_Valentine’s Day ♡_

Eyes bugging out, Marinette threw off the covers and jumped out of bed. “Oh my god, Tikki! T-Today is— today is—!” She headed straight to the restroom to wash her face and brush her teeth.

“Today’s the day that Adrien’s finally going to confess to you!” Shooting through the air, Tikki squealed in excitement, red glitter sparklingly like fairy dust in her wake. “Plagg and I have been waiting so long for this!” 

“Ahhh! This is a disaster!” Cosmetic products went flying around the vanity as a nervous Marinette shoved whatever she could into a large tote along with her present for Adrien. After slipping on her dress and wrapping Adrien’s beaded bracelet around her wrist, she grabbed a comfy old pair of black ballet flats and started for the door.

“Wait, you forgot the finishing touch!” Called Tikki as she flung open the trunk and pulled out the gift bag.

“What’s this?” Marinette asked as she took the bag and made her way down the steps. 

“Another gift from your future husband!” Tikki squealed from within her holder’s pochette.

Not having any time to worry about what sort of shenanigans her mischievous future husband may have pulled, she grabbed the Valentine’s Day sweets and made a mad dash to the school with just a few minutes to spare.

She made her way to her locker in hopes of getting her makeup done. “Ack!” She’d caught a glimpse of her reflection— her long hair was an absolute mess! “Just my luck…” She muttered with a pout as she tried to comb her windblown locks back into place. Needless to say, things weren’t working out as planned.

“Um… do you maybe need some help?” 

Marinette turned to see Rose and Juleka. “I— uh…”

“Come on! Let’s help her get ready, Juleka!” Eagerly, Rose made her way up to Marinette, admiring the details of her dress.

“We’ll make you look awesome.” Juleka promised as she took hold of the makeup bag.

“But—“ Marinette clamped her mouth shut as they motioned for her to just sit on the bench.

“You’re going to look like a princess!” Gently brushing Marinette’s hair, Rose excitedly began to pull it up with sparkling pearl and crystal hair accessories.

With her panic subsiding, Marinette finally began to relax; the feeling of Rose’s gentle fingers braiding her hair and Juleka applying her makeup was kind of reassuring and soothing its own way. “Thank you for doing this.” She whispered as she felt Juleka apply her eyeshadow.

“It’s the least we could do!” Juleka murmured as she finished.

Rose smiled brightly as she linked her arm with Juleka’s. “Everyone is cheering you on, so it’s time you go get your prince, Marinette!”

The couple left Marinette blushing alone in the locker room in embarrassment at how everyone who’d seen Adrien K.O her on Friday would probably be watching intently for his confession.

Shaking her head to rid herself of any and all thoughts of what could go wrong, she lifted up the gift bag that her future husband had left for her. “What is this, Tikki?”

“Just open it and you’ll find out!” The kwami gazed at her little bug with an excited grin.

“ _Pour Ma Petite Coccinelle?_ ” She whispered as she pulled out a golden brown shoebox labeled Christian Louboutin. “Oh my kwami, _he didn’t_!” She half screamed incredulously. Marinette felt a lump in her throat and gulped in hopes to swallow her fears. Her future husband was absolutely ridiculous and there was no telling what sort of designer shoe style he could have picked out for her. She lifted the lid with bated breath and at the sight of the see-through shoes spotted with scattered crystals over signature red soles, Marinette almost fainted. “Oh my kwami… oh my kwami, Tikki! They’re so beautiful!” She could hear her own heart pounding in her ears as she slipped them on, the heel being small rather than a stiletto as if he were considerate of how clumsily she walked. Watching Tikki just smile from the corner of her eye, Marinette blinked back the tears. “I almost feel like Cinderella wearing glass slippers…”

Tikki just giggled. “Yes, but Marinette….” She hugged her guardian holder’s cheek. “Unlike the fairytale, the magic between you and your prince will last forever.” 

“I…” Marinette’s lips quivered, today was the day Adrien was going to profess his love to her, today was the day they were going to take the first step toward their futures together. “I want to be with Adrien… I want to be with you, Plagg and all the other kwamis, forever!”

Tikki snuggled deeper into Marinette’s cheek. “And you will, Marinette.”

* * *

Marinette had spent what felt like forever trying to pep herself up for what was to come. She stood outside the classroom for a moment taking in deep breaths. It was as if it were the door to her destiny; and in some ways, it was. Adrien and Chat Noir were both the same wonderful person. Marinette inhaled and exhaled, trying to channel her Ladybug persona… her hand gripped harder at the handle as she realized that she was Ladybug and Ladybug was Marinette… and that it didn’t matter how convoluted their lovesquare was because in the end they were destined to be together!

From inside, Adrien glanced at his phone, counting down the seconds till the bell was about to ring. “Where is…” The door slid open and with it a small gust of wind blew making the loose rose petals and sparkling confetti rise up in the air like a scene from a shojo anime. Adrien’s jaw dropped. “Marinette…” 

Marinette’s eyes took in the glittering sight as the gale swept at the desks. Her blue eyes took in Adrien’s appearance: he was dressed in the outfit she’d made over the weekend, black with green accents, his hair tousled by the wind giving him that carefree and relaxed look she’d always seen on her kitty. With a small smirk she began walking over, steadily, confidently, before settling herself into the seat beside him. “Hey.” She whispered as she flashed him a smile, hoping the tolerance she’d built up toward his handsomeness would last. “I missed you.”

Adrien blushed all the way to the tips of his ears; he thought he’d been prepared for this. “I…” He felt her slide her hand in his, intertwining their fingers. That confident look on her face could belong to no one but his Lady and the fact that he could feel her hand without the suits’ material was making his mind race so dizzily fast. “Marinette,” he watched as her cheeks began to redden at the call of her name “I…” 

Miss Bustier walked through the door. “Sorry I’m late, let’s begin class now, shall we?”

The pair’s eyes immediately shifted away from each other, staring in opposite directions. Despite their eyes never meeting for the remainder of class, the pair refused to let go of one of another, the matching bracelets on their wrists feeling like their own personal red string of fate.

* * *

“What’s going on?” Lila whispered, taking note of how everyone seemed to watch Adrien and Marinette.

“Oh right, you weren’t here on Friday.” Mylène gasped.

A slight wave of nausea hit Lila as she watched the pair literally radiate with feelings of unspoken love. “Y-Yeah, um, I was sick…”

“Oh, then you totally missed it!” Kim grinned like a buffoon. “Have Alya show you the video when you get a chance!”

“Video of what?” Absolutely out of the loop, Lila had to hold herself back from acting snappy.

“Adrien announced on Friday that he’s going to confess to Marinette!” Rose squealed. “Oh, it’s going to be so romantic!”

“Oh… _is that so?_ ” Lila gritted her teeth.

* * *

The sound of the school bell startled Adrien and Marinette causing the pair to let go. 

With a sheepish smile, Adrien began to rub the back of his neck. “Oh, Marinette, I—”

Marinette began to blush, trying not to show how eager she was. “Ye-yes, Adrien?”

The pair suddenly felt all eyes on them, staring in anticipation; it was just plain awkward.

“I’ll, uh— tell you later!” Flustered, Adrien began to gather his things. At the feeling of her fingers beneath his chin, his body grew rigid. If she gave him chin scratches, he knew for sure that he’d melt faster than cheese.

“What? Cat got your tongue?” She murmured, her warm breath fanning out against his ear.

Adrien felt his heart slam against the wall of his chest. She punned at him! The thought _I love this girl_ blared in his mind almost as loud as the warning bell. His mouth fell open, but no words would come out past the lump in his throat.

Marinette smirked and booped his nose as she stood up. “Don’t keep your lady waiting for too long.”

* * *

“Aren’t you worried about getting your new dress dirty?” Alya raised a brow at her best friend as they walked into art class. “No offense but with your clumsy luck—”

Marinette pouted at Alya as she heard the chime of a new text message. “That’s what an apron is for, Alya!” She grabbed one off a coat rack and slung it over her arm. turning her attention to the text she’d just received. 

**_Mom:_ ** _[Remember to bring your new boyfriend over for lunch! We’ve even made your favorite cake for the occasion!]_

“Wah— what!” Her cheeks flushed red as she shyly peeked through her lashes to look at Adrien. She then heard Alya snicker, a wide grin on her face, indicating that she’d caught a glimpse of the message.

“Looks like the news reached your parents too.” Alya smirked as threw her arm around Adrien’s shoulder. “You’re having lunch with your in-laws already? Damn you move quick! Did you have this all planned out or something?”

“Something like that…” Adrien took note of how Marinette was turning as red as her dress. She looked so damn beautiful that he decided that he couldn't stand to be patient any longer! “After all, there’s no time to waste.” 

Adrien leaned over his seat to open his bag and Lila watched as he pulled out a shimmering crystal rose out of its case. His lovestruck gaze was locked onto Marinette who was happily giggling with Alya and handing out macarons to their classmates like some goody two shoes. A surge of panic overtook Lila and she grabbed the nearest bucket of paint she could find before stomping over toward Marinette. 

As Adrien carefully slipped the rose into the inside of his blazer, he grinned at his kwami before his eyes took note of a few drops of black paint splashing on the floor. His gaze shifted to see it’d come from an open can of paint that Lila was swinging as she walked past. When he saw her face, he could practically see Lila’s eyes filled with blind rage and jealousy towards Marinette.

“No…” He immediately shot up out of his chair and began to give chase. Marinette had placed her apron off to the side and was holding a familiar looking gift wrapped present to her chest. “Marinette, look out!”

“Oh, oops!” Lila gasped dramatically as she “accidentally tripped” and tossed the bucket of paint.

Marinette stood frozen in place, as the black paint began to drip from above. At that moment, it was like everything had begun to move in slow motion. Tears just spilled from her eyes because everything — all of her hard work, the dress she made, the hair and makeup her friends had done, her gift for Adrien, everything was going to be ruined. _How unlucky_ , she thought. After having spent such a magical weekend with the future Adrien, she’d somehow forgotten all about Lila. Knowing it would be impossible to dodge and hoping the can wouldn’t hit her head, Marinette closed her eyes and winced, trying to brace herself for impact.

But none of what she expected to feel ever came. And at the sound of the paint can clattering on the floor, her tensed body automatically began to loosen.

“Are you hurt, My Lady?”

At the sound of his voice, she opened her eyes to see he’d shielded her. “Adrien…” 

He smiled at her gently as he cupped her cheek and began to wipe away her tears. “Hey… Buginette…” He murmured his modified nickname for her. His eyes shifted over to her features, seeing that he’d taken a majority of the hit with only a few drops of paint having splashed on one of her shoes.

“You took the hit for me... _again…_ ” She launched herself into his arms and began to sniffle.

“Don’t cry, Princess, we can fix everything…” His voice was sure, as if there were some sort of Miraculous cure to be casted.

Marinette gasped as she felt him lift her up in his arms, tears suddenly subsiding. “Ah— Adrien!” She threw her arms around his neck to hold on. The back of his blazer dripped black paint onto the floors, leaving a trail of spots as he walked out the door. “I’m fine! Really!”

Adrien took her to an empty classroom and sat her on the desk. Despite having half a mind to expose Lila Rossi, he decided against it— after all, there was no need for any negative emotions on Valentine’s Day. Shrugging off his blazer with a sigh, he turned to look at his lady. “I’m sorry, Marinette.” He kneeled before her and slipped off her shoe to wipe off the paint.

Marinette’s tears began to subside as she watched the stain disappear like magic off the clear PVC of her shoes with ease. “There’s nothing to apologize for.” She placed her gift off to the side as she patted her kitty’s fluffy hair. “Thank you for saving me, you’ve always got my back.” 

“And you have my heart.” Adrien smiled at her gently as he slipped her shoe back on like she was Cinderella. “It’s you and me against the world, My Lady.”

“As always…” Marinette smiled as she watched him stand. “Adrien…” She lifted up the present she had held back on giving him last Christmas; she’d added a little more to it since then with a little help from Bunnyx. “This is for you…”

Adrien could see how nervous she was as she urged him to unwrap the present and immediately tore at the gift wrap. He smiled brilliantly at the sight of the photo album. “Marinette…” 

“Aren’t you going to read what it says?” She asked as she watched him place it off to the side.

“I already read it over the weekend…” He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, thumb grazing her camouflaged Miraculous. He then leaned in as if to whisper a secret in her ear. “It says we were meant to be...”

Marinette could see it in his eyes, he really knew. “Adrien, I—”

“Marinette, I love you!” Adrien declared first as he took her hands in his. ”I love your kindness, your creativity, your beauty, your courage, your ambitions...” He kissed her hands gently before peeking at her through his bangs. “I love everything that makes you… _you_ , My Lady.” He confessed as he pulled out the everlasting crystal rose and held it out to her.

Marinette was speechless, she had known it was coming, she thought she was prepared, but even still it all felt like something out of a dream. As she gazed down at the sparkling forever rose, tears began to spill from her eyes again, but this time, they were happy ones. “Oh, Chaton…” She felt him press his forehead to hers before kissing away her tears. “I love your gentleness, your strength, your humor…” she chuckled softly at that last part as she lifted her gaze to meet his, “your warmth, your smile… I love every part of you…” She watched as tears began to well in his eyes, happy their love finally requited. “I love you, Adrien… I always have, and I always will.”

Adrien’s gaze fell to her lips as he leaned in closer. “Please, Marinette, please, be _My Lady_.”

Marinette blinked back her tears as she nodded profusely. “Of course…”

_“I can’t hear!”_

The pair shot their attention over to the door, it had been opened a crack with various muffled whispers trickling through.

_“Hey! Woah!! Watch it!!”_

And in a matter of seconds, all of their friends fell into the classroom in one big messy pile.

_“Uh… oops..”_

_“Did we ruin things?”_

The new couple raised their brows to give them a matching look as the lunch bell rang.

Marinette took one look at her boyfriend’s face and groaned. “Ahh!” She grabbed his collar and pulled him closer. “I can’t wait any longer!” She screamed before pressing her lips against his.

Adrien’s eyes widened in shock at her actions as he heard all their classmates gasp and cheer. It took a moment, but before she could even dare to pull away, he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her in the air. As they spun, he deepened the kiss. And when they finally pulled apart, they were left panting. “I swear won’t ever forget this _first kiss_.” He grinned at her teasingly.

“You’d better not!” Marinette laughed as she felt her feet touch the ground. “Come with me?” She removed his hands from her waist and laced her fingers with his.

“Where to?” Adrien flashed her the brightest smile as they began to walk forward, together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh!!! One more chapter left!  
> Who knows how it'll end ~~I wish I knew because I haven't written it yet.~~ This fic is my precious baby.  
> It's been about a year since I released this series and some of you have been with me since the very beginning, so thank you, truly!  
> Despite this having been one of my first attempts at fanfiction with this entire series having been written by me pantsing it, lol, it was fun!  
> You have no idea how some of your sweet comments would just brighten up my day and I'll miss all of this, but alas, all good things must come to an end.

**Author's Note:**

> Hit me up on the [Miraculous Fanworks Discord Server](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) where you can discuss Miraculous Ladybug, get feedback on fics, share fanart, and make friends!
> 
> I just wanted all my readers to know I appreciate you taking time to read my haphazard writing as I haven’t done fanfiction before. Positive comments make me smile and make my day so thanks for leaving them!  
> Thanks to Khanofallorcs who has been beta-ing since Chapter 22!


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